“Safety by Design”: Ursula von der Leyen Outlines Europe’s Vision for Protecting Children Online

“Safety by Design”: Ursula von der Leyen Outlines Europe’s Vision for Protecting Children Online

On 22 September 2026, on the margins of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, world leaders, UN agencies, civil society organisations and private-sector representatives gathered for a high-level side event entitled“Protecting Children’s Rights facing Artificial Intelligence: the Coalition for Children’s Rights and Protection in the Age of Artificial Intelligence as an Operational Tool.” 

The event was convened by the leaders of France, Spain, Kenya and Australia, and was co-chaired by Emmanuel Macron, Pedro Sánchez, William Ruto and Anthony Albanese. Its aim was to strengthen international cooperation on protecting children’s rights and safety in an increasingly digital world and to advance a child-centred approach to artificial intelligence. 

The discussion built on commitments made earlier in 2026 through international dialogues on AI governance and focused on expanding the Coalition for Children’s Rights and Protection in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Participants also launched a roadmap outlining practical actions to safeguard children online, promote responsible AI development and ensure that children’s rights remain central to digital policymaking. 

Among the keynote speakers was Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, who emphasised that while digital technologies and AI can create new opportunities for learning, creativity and social connection, they can also expose children to significant risks. She warned that social media platforms and digital services often rely on business models that seek to maximise user attention, creating environments that can contribute to addiction, anxiety, cyberbullying and other harms affecting children’s wellbeing. 

A central message of her speech was that children’s safety must be built into digital technologies from the outset through a “safety by design” approach. She argued that technology companies should bear greater responsibility for protecting children online and that digital services should be designed with children’s needs and rights in mind. 

Von der Leyen also highlighted the European Union’s efforts to strengthen online child protection, including the recently proposed EU Kids Act, measures to improve age verification, and broader actions to ensure that online platforms provide safer digital environments for children. She stressed that the challenge is not whether children should have access to the digital world, but how to ensure that digital services interact with children in ways that are safe, respectful and aligned with their rights. 

The event concluded with a shared call for stronger international cooperation on AI governance and children’s rights, recognising that protecting children online will require coordinated action from governments, international organisations, industry and civil society.

More information about the high-level event “Protecting Children’s Rights facing Artificial Intelligence: the Coalition for Children’s Rights and Protection in the Age of Artificial Intelligence as an Operational Tool” available here.

Ursula Von der Leyen speech at high-level event “Protecting Children’s Rights facing Artificial Intelligence: the Coalition for Children’s Rights and Protection in the Age of Artificial Intelligence as an Operational Tool” available here.