A bipartisan group of 14 US attorneys general filed lawsuits against TikTok, alleging that the platform has “addicted” young people, ultimately harming their mental health. Similarly, the European Commission has opened formal proceedings against TikTok to assess whether they protect minors adequately. With so many digital services at their fingertips, children are exposed to certain risks. But how does the US and the EU handle issues of child protection?
To answer this question, this panel focuses on the key differences between the legal, social and practical approach to child protection efforts across the globe, with an emphasis on the EU and the US. Through this discussion, we aim to shed light on current trends, the biggest threats and also the best possible ways forward when it comes to child protection efforts in the digital sphere.
Stacey Steinberg is the supervising attorney for the Gator TeamChild Juvenile Law Clinic. She also serves as Director for the Center on Children and Families. Professor Steinberg’s research explores the intersection of a parent’s right to share online and a child’s interest in privacy.
Manon Baert is the EU Advocacy and Policy Officer at 5Rights Foundation where she focuses on the implementation of Children’s Rights within EU digital policy. She previously worked in EU affairs within a non-profit and a consultancy, with a focus on human rights and sustainability. Manon was also a legal trainee at the EU Delegation to the Council of Europe and has a background in European Law and International Affairs.
Monika Mercz is a visiting researcher at The GW Competition and Innovation Lab. She is a founding editor of the Constitutional Discourse blog, the international director of Central European Lawyers Initiative, and is completing her PhD at the Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary.
