Proteção dos menores no contexto digital europeu: um diálogo necessário entre pais, academia, reguladores e indústria

P o ec ion o mino s in he Eu opean digi al audio isual con ex : a necessa y dialogue be ween pa en s, academy, egula o s and indus y Au o a Labio-Be nal Facul y o Communica ion, Uni e si y o Se ille, Spain Lo ena R. Rome o-Domínguez Facul y o Communica ion, Uni e si y o Se ille, Spain Ma ía José Ga cía-O a Facul y o Communica ion, Uni e si y o Se ille, Spain Abs ac This pape ep esen s he ini ial phase o a la ge p ojec being de eloped by he “Media, communica ion policy and democ acy in he Eu opean Union” esea ch g oup, which is cu - en ly wo king on he s udy “Communica ion policies, SVOD pla o ms and alues educa ion o mino s in he single digi al ma ke (2020-2022)”. We wish o pu sue in his s udy ha , beyond echnological conside a ions, i is necessa y o expand he scope o child p o ec ion by es ablish- ing mu ual collabo a ion be ween egula o s, dis ibu o s and ideo on demand se ices, as well as consume s and pa en s’ o ganisa ions, in an e o o u he enhance coope a ion and mu ual unde s anding (Eu opean Regula o s G oup o Audio isual Media Se ices, 2017b, p. 75). I is o his eason ha we belie e ha he academic sphe e can also be in i ed in o his wide- anging discussion on child p o ec ion o con ibu e e lec ions on a key aspec : audio isual and media educa ion, an essen ial pilla o p o ec ion in addi ion o il e s, ex e nal limi s, and elec onic labelling. We hus uphold a ision ha no only conside s he “digi al s u ” bu also highligh s he need o “e hos s u ” (Goggin, 2008, p.89). In his espec , we ha e conside ed i essen ial a li e a u e e iew on he concep o media li e acy. Secondly, ou quali a i e me hodology in ol es an analysis o he ins uc ions issued by he Eu opean Union and hei implemen a ion in Spain. In his s age, we ha e conduc ed desk esea ch based on a na a i e analysis o he documen s and p og ams o di e en ins i u ions in o de o cha he e olu ion o he ques ion in ecen yea s, a a ime when he digi al en i onmen has changed mo e quickly han e e be o e. This same ype o analysis is also conduc ed on he ini ia i es o Eu opean and Spanish companies o de e mine whe he hey a e implemen ing child p o ec ion s a egies. Keywo ds digi al li e acy; mino s; p o ec ion; Eu ope; egula o s Comunicação e Sociedade, ol. 37, 2020, pp. 127-146 h ps://doi.o g/10.17231/comsoc.37(2020).2162 Comunicação e Sociedade, ol. 37, 2020 128 P o ec ion o mino s in he Eu opean digi al audio isual con ex . Au o a Labio-Be nal, Lo ena R. Rome o-Domínguez & Ma ía José Ga cía-O a P o eção dos meno es no con ex o digi al eu opeu: um diálogo necessá io en e pais, academia, egulado es e indús ia Resumo Es e a igo ep esen a a ase inicial de um p oje o mais as o conduzido pelo g upo de in es igação “Media, polí ica de comunicação e democ acia na União Eu opeia” que es á a ual- men e a desen ol e o es udo “Polí icas de comunicação, pla a o mas SVOD e educação de alo es pa a meno es no me cado único digi al (2020-2022)”. Nes e es udo, p e endemos ex- plo a a ideia de que, além das conside ações ecnológicas, é necessá io ala ga o âmbi o da p o eção in an il, es abelecendo colabo ação mú ua en e en idades egulado as, dis ibuido es e se iços de ídeo on demand, bem como o ganizações de consumido es e de pais, num es o ço pa a melho a ainda mais a coope ação e o en endimen o mú uo (G upo Eu opeu de Regula- do es dos Se iços de Comunicação Audio isuais, 2017b, p. 75). Tendo po base es e obje i o, conside amos que a es e a académica ambém pode se con idada pa a es e ab angen e deba e sob e p o eção in an il, a im de con ibui pa a um aspe o undamen al: a educação audio isual e mediá ica como um pila essencial de p o eção, além de il os, limi es ex e nos e o ulagem ele ónica. Assim, de endemos uma isão que conside a não apenas os aspe os digi ais (digi al s u ), mas ambém des aca a necessidade de aspe os é icos (e hos s u ) (Goggin, 2008, p.89). A esse espei o, é essencial uma e isão da li e a u a sob e o concei o de li e acia mediá ica. A me odologia quali a i a en ol e uma análise das indicações da União Eu opeia e a sua imple- men ação em Espanha. Nes a ase, ealizámos pesquisas de dados secundá ios com base numa análise na a i a dos documen os e p og amas de di e en es ins i uições, a im de mapea a e olução da ques ão nos úl imos anos, num momen o em que o ambien e digi al mudou mui o apidamen e. Es e ipo de análise ambém é conduzido nas inicia i as de emp esas eu opeias e espanholas, no sen ido de de e mina se es ão a implemen a es a égias de p o eção à c iança. Pala as-cha e li e acia digi al; meno es; p o eção; Eu opa; egulado es In oduc ion In he in oduc ion o i s epo P o ec ion o mino s in he audio isual media se ices: ends & p ac ices, he Eu opean Regula o s G oup o Audio isual Media Se ices (ERGA, 2017b) makes special e e ence o he need o collabo a ion be ween media companies and egula o s o p o ide ools and mechanisms ha will enable pa en s o p o ec hei child en in he digi al e a in acco dance wi h hei p e e ences (p. 4). Mo eo e , a ew mon hs ago, a he “P o uldig Con e ence”, we p esen ed e e - ences o how, in he academic sphe e, esea ch by Lie ens, Li ings one, McLaughlin, O’Neill and Ve dood (2018), Po e and S eeme s (2017), and o he s, p o ided e idence o he need o egula e he cu en audio isual en i onmen in o de o p o ec chil- d en. Al hough hese s udies once again demons a ed he complexi y o he issue in a globalised wo ld, he e seems o be a consensus among academics on basic common issues o ensu e he p o ec ion o mino s. We e en d ew some in e es ing conclusions in ou s udy on he p oposal pu o wa d by Li ings one and Thi d (2017) in ela ion o Comunicação e Sociedade, ol. 37, 2020 129 P o ec ion o mino s in he Eu opean digi al audio isual con ex . Au o a Labio-Be nal, Lo ena R. Rome o-Domínguez & Ma ía José Ga cía-O a using he echnological deba e o demand digni y and p o ec ion o child en in con ex s o disad an age. In his way, we also ied in wi h he deba e be ween digi al compe ence and in o ma ional digi al compe ence, a deba e ha ine i ably leads us o media li e acy (A ea & Gua o, 2012; Val e de, de P o-Bueno & González, 2018). A no able ea u e o he epo p oduced by ERGA (2017a, p. 68) is he p oposal o a echnical expe ience and pilo p ojec called “Mi acle”, aimed a de eloping a s anda d- ised elec onic model o age-based classi ica ion in he audio isual con ex ha would be applicable ac oss bo de s and o di e en digi al de ices. I is impo an o bea in mind ha a ew yea s ago he consump ion o audio isual con en by mino s could be con olled by means o age-based classi ica ion and labelling on di e en p oduc s consumed ou side he elec onic con ex . Howe e , he new ou es o online access o audio isual con en equi e a new way o hinking abou he in o ma ion ha such clas- si ica ions p o ide. Wi h his in mind, he “Mi acle” p ojec was launched o p o ide a unique age-based classi ica ion and labelling sys em based on exis ing models. In his way, he expe ience highligh ed how c oss- e e encing he da a on hese classi ica ions could be use ul o he indus y, educa ional ins i u ions, and use s. The pa icipa ing conso ia we e he B i ish Boa d o Film Classi ica ion (BBFC), he Ne he lands Ins i u e o Classi ica ion o Audio isual Media (NICAM), he au ho i y ha manages he Pan- Eu opean ideo game sel - egula ion sys em (PEGI), he Ge man Associa ion o Vol- un a y Sel -Regula ion o Digi al Media Se ice P o ide s (FSM), and he Na ional Sa e In e ne Cen e in he Czech Republic. All hese o ganisa ions pa icipa ed in “Mi acle” in an e o o de elop an ecosys em o age-based elec onic and online labelling (in a- s uc u es, se ices, and apps) ha could be applied o he same con en , ega dless o he ju isdic ion, and o he di e en EU membe s, e en when hey ha e di e en legisla- ion ela ed o child p o ec ion. Ano he aspec ha we belie e is o ele ance o ou s udy is he ecogni ion o he indisc imina e use o di e en de ices by child en o consume con en , as shown in he ollowing igu e. Figu e 1: In e ope abili y (p ojec “Mi acle”) Sou ce: ERGA, 2017a, p. 7 Comunicação e Sociedade, ol. 37, 2020 130 P o ec ion o mino s in he Eu opean digi al audio isual con ex . Au o a Labio-Be nal, Lo ena R. Rome o-Domínguez & Ma ía José Ga cía-O a In Spain, o example, he de ices ha mino s use mos o access he in e ne a e mobile phones (76%), ollowed by sma TVs (72%), ideo consoles (29%), compu e s (28%), and able s (26%), acco ding o he epo Ac i idades, mediación, opo unidades y iesgos online de los meno es en la e a de la con e gencia mediá ica (Ga mendia e al., 2019, p. 17). Acco ding o he igu e shown abo e, he single classi ica ion sys em p oposed by “Mi acle” is also in ended o be ope able o all de ices and o coexis wi h o he il e s like pa en al con ol, while also po en ially se ing con en p o ide s and being applied o new da a se ices. Howe e , despi e he in e es ing con ibu ions o e ed by “Mi acle”, we ha e o poin ou ha , like o he EU ini ia i es, i is no a manda o y p ojec and he e o e i is up o he membe coun ies o olun a ily choose whe he o adop i . Bu beyond his echnological conside a ion, he ERGA (2017b, p. 75) e- po concludes ha i is necessa y o expand he scope o child p o ec ion by es ablishing mu ual collabo a ion be ween egula o s, dis ibu o s and ideo on demand (VOD) se ices, as well as consume s and pa en s’ o - ganisa ions, in an e o o u he enhance coope a ion and mu ual unde - s anding. I e en poin s o he possibili y o es ablishing a documen o a b oade public in he o m o a bes p ac ices guide. Hypo hesis and objec i es This is p ecisely he line o esea ch we wish o pu sue in his s udy, mo ing be- yond a me ely echnological model. I is o his eason ha we belie e ha he academic sphe e can also be in i ed in o his wide- anging discussion on child p o ec ion o con- ibu e e lec ions on a key aspec : audio isual and media educa ion, an essen ial pilla o p o ec ion in addi ion o il e s, ex e nal limi s, and elec onic labelling. We hus uphold a ision ha no only conside s he “digi al s u ” bu also highligh s he need o “e hos s u ” (Goggin, 2008, p. 89). Based on hese conside a ions, o his esea ch we posi ed he ollowing hypo heses: 1. echnological ools (pa en al con ol, age labelling, and il e ing sys ems) a e no enough o p o ec mino s in he digi al en i onmen ; 2. he mechanisms o p e en ha m and isks o mino s need o be based on a new way o iewing media li e acy as a ask sha ed be ween egula o s, pa en s, educa o s, and con en p oduce s. To es hese hypo heses, we p oposed a se ies o objec i es. The i s o hese in- ol es a e iew o he de ini ion o media li e acy in an e o o unde s and how new ways o consuming equi e us o eassess wha media li e acy is and who is esponsible o eaching i . I is also essen ial o examine he o de s and ins uc ions issued by he Eu o- pean Union o e he yea s in o de o analyse he e olu ion o he discou se, om he i s app oaches based on he use o echnological ools o he la es p og ams p omo ing he c ea ion o quali y con en and he ac i e ole o mino s in he de elopmen o he kind o c i ical awa eness hey need o make sa e use o online spaces as c ea o s and consume s. Comunicação e Sociedade, ol. 37, 2020 131 P o ec ion o mino s in he Eu opean digi al audio isual con ex . Au o a Labio-Be nal, Lo ena R. Rome o-Domínguez & Ma ía José Ga cía-O a Finally, we a e in e es ed in de e mining how hese p og ams ha e been implemen ed in Spain and also in s udying he ole o he indus y in his coun y in p omo ing ini ia i es ha ecognise he sec o ’s esponsibili y o he p o ec ion o child en and you h. Me hodology Fo his esea ch, we ha e adop ed a quali a i e me hodology wi h a c i ical dimen- sion. In his espec , we ha e conside ed i essen ial in ou esea ch o adop a me hod- ology ha includes, i s o all, a li e a u e e iew on he concep o media li e acy. We belie e ha any analysis o he p o ec ion o mino s in he digi al en i onmen mus begin wi h a heo e ical amewo k ha can help iden i y he di e en app oaches o and pe spec i es on media educa ion. This will hen make i possible o de e mine he issues posed by he di e en app oaches and also o con i m he in ellec ual s ance on which o base he s udy. The jus i ica ion o his heu is ic phase o ou me hodology lies in he ac ha i in ol es cha ac e ising he p oblem as an academic discussion and iden i y- ing heo ies ha can se e o desc ibe i and con ibu e o a ede ini ion o media li e acy. Secondly, ou quali a i e me hodology in ol es an analysis o he ins uc ions is- sued by he Eu opean Union and hei implemen a ion in Spain. In his s age, we ha e conduc ed desk esea ch based on a e iew o di e en ypes o documen s ( epo s, di- ec i es, s a egy documen s, summa ies, comme cial ag ees be ween mobile ope a o s, code o conduc and e hic o elecommunica ions companies, wo k pape s, e c.) o Eu o- pean ins i u ions and indus y o ganisa ions (Council o Eu ope, Eu opean Pa liamen , Eu opean Commission, Eu opean Audio isual Obse a o y, Eu opean Regula o s G oup o Audio isual Media Se ices, GSMA, ICT Coali ion), in o de o cha he e olu ion o he ques ion om 1996 o he p esen , when he digi al en i onmen has changed mo e quickly han e e be o e. This same ype o analysis is also conduc ed on he ini ia i es o Spanish companies (Na ional Commission on Ma ke s and Compe i ion [CNMC], Me- diase , Tele ónica, Voda one, Filmin) o de e mine whe he hey a e implemen ing child p o ec ion s a egies. The e iew, in bo h le els, ha e in ol ed nex s eps: iden i ica ion o he opic o esea ch (mino s, online, p o ec ion), iden i ica ion o documen sou ces (o icial/nono icial; go e nmen /non-go e nmen ; public/p i a e o comme cial); com- pa a ion be ween ins i u ional ecommenda ions and p ac ical applica ions by indus y o ganisa ions and inal conclusions. Towa ds a new kind o media li e acy I is clea ly a demons able ac ha new echnologies, he use o mobile de ices, and he possibili ies o he in e ne ha e changed no only he way we p oduce and consume con en , bu e en he way we pa icipa e in cul u al ac i i ies and ela e o one ano he . I was some yea s ago ha he Eu opean Union began aking special no e o he isks, bu also he oppo uni ies, ha he in e ne o e s mino s. A key poin e ol es a ound knowing wha ools can be used o o e media educa ion o child en so ha hey Comunicação e Sociedade, ol. 37, 2020 132 P o ec ion o mino s in he Eu opean digi al audio isual con ex . Au o a Labio-Be nal, Lo ena R. Rome o-Domínguez & Ma ía José Ga cía-O a can eel p o ec ed in he digi al en i onmen . One majo issue ha may eme ge ela es o skills de elopmen , as he e appea s o be an assump ion ha he mo e child en know abou digi al, s uc u al (use) and s a egic (applicable) compe encies, he less ulne able hey will be o he isks o online in e ac ion, such as cybe bullying, g ooming (sexual ha assmen ) o in asion o p i acy. Howe e , au ho s like Sonck and de Haan (2014) ha e ound ha he acquisi ion o such skills does no always gua an ee p o ec- ion om isks. In ac , he s udies conduc ed on his ques ion (Li ings one & Helspe , 2010; Sonck, Kuipe & de Haan, 2012) ha e p oduced “inconclusi e esul s wi h ega d o he e ec i eness o digi al skills in keeping young people sa e on he in e ne . I has been ound ha mo e skills coincide wi h mo e isks and ha e no signi ican e ec in p e en ing unwan ed expe iences” (Sonck & de Haan, 2014, p. 97). These esea che s also poin o an in e es ing conside a ion o ou pape when hey p opose a mo e in- dep h explo a ion o hese digi al skills, connec ing hem wi h media li e acy (Sonck & de Haan, 2014, p. 90). O e he yea s, he iew o media li e acy has aken an indi idualised e hical posi ion in ela ion o he consump ion and selec ion o audio isual con- en (O’Neill, 2010, p. 323). Howe e , in a con ex o inc easing possibili ies o choosing con en on mul iple de ices in eal ime and on demand, he ques ion o media educa ion becomes a complex ma e o se e al easons. The i s o hese is he need o cla i y wha we mean by media li e acy, as alling unde his e m a e o he concep s like in o ma ional, audio isual and digi al li e acy. This is why Kol ay (2011, p. 212) de ines media educa ion as “an umb ella concep ” ha can be ackled om di e en pe spec i es. A he same ime, Co des (2009, p. 3) pu s o wa d he iew o a mul imodal o m o li e acy as “ he syn hesis o mul iple modes o communica ion (…) The mul imodal objec can equi e a ange o ools, skills, and sensi- bili ies and o en e lec s collabo a i e as well as indi idual e o ”. Along he same lines, Tyne (2003, p. 373) speaks o di e en o ms o mul ili e acy as a way o add essing he needs o media, digi al, isual, o compu e li e acy. In ou s udy, we wan o s ess ha we will be using he e m media li e acy wi h a de ini ion ha ex ends o he audio isual and digi al con ex s. Acco ding o he esea che s Thoman and Jolls (2004, pp. 23-24), he cha ac e is ics o his kind o media educa ion a e as ollows: 1. media li e acy is ocused on p ocess mo e han con en . In his sense, wha ma e s is no so much he echnological aspec as he capaci y o iden i y p oblems, lea n concep s, and gene a e connec- ions and ideas based on a media message (whe he in p in o elec onic); 2. media li e acy b oadens he concep o ex , as ex s a e no only w i en bu also e bal o audio- isual, mul imedia and digi al; 3. media li e acy is cha ac e ised by he p inciple o ques ioning and c i icism o he impo an aspec s eme ging om he media ecosys em. Media li e acy he e o e has he objec i e o p omo ing a c i ical pe spec i e and expanding he in ellec ual capaci ies o c ea e ci izens a he han me e consume s, ca- pable o exe cising hei ci ic esponsibili y in democ a ic socie ies. Comunicação e Sociedade, ol. 37, 2020 133 P o ec ion o mino s in he Eu opean digi al audio isual con ex . Au o a Labio-Be nal, Lo ena R. Rome o-Domínguez & Ma ía José Ga cía-O a The second eason o he complexi y o media li e acy lies in he ques ion o who should be esponsible o eaching i . In his espec , we again ag ee wi h Sonck and de Haan (2014) when hey speak o an educa ional p ocess sha ed by he amily, school, go e nmen , and indus y. They also speak o mu ual collabo a ion among mino s hem- sel es in he de elopmen o hei esponsible use o he in e ne . We would hus a gue ha media li e acy needs o be aken on as a ask sha ed by pa en s, educa ional ins i u- ions, egula o y bodies and con en p o ide s. I is a ask aimed a de eloping a c i ical a i ude in child en so ha hey a e able o disce n which con en may be ha m ul. This in eg a i e iew o media li e acy was also pu o wa d ecen ly in he epo i led Looking o wa d: echnological and social change in he li es o Eu opean child en and young people (Blum-Ross e al., 2018). This epo ook he inno a i e app oach o ga he - ing opinions h ough in e iews conduc ed wi h he indus y and h ough ocus g oups ha included pa en s, young people, and educa o s om i e EU membe s a es: Bel- gium, Bulga ia, Ge many, I eland and I aly. Indus y ep esen a i es included Al ice Po - ugal, Facebook, Google, Telia, Voda one, and O ange. One o he mos in e es ing conside a ions o his epo , o example, is he idea ha pa en s can ac as “media men o s”, “no only helping child en ind esou ces bu also modelling good beha iou s hemsel es” (Blum-Ross e al., 2018, p. 19). We ag ee ha he ask o pa en s should be no only o se guidelines bu also o encou age hei child en’s empowe men h ough an educa ion in alues, which should be unde s ood as ano he aspec o pa en al ca e. Sonck and de Haan (2014, p. 98), o example, de- sc ibe di e en s a egies like ac i e media ion, he applica ion o echnical es ic ions, he es ablishmen o s anda ds o es ic ions and moni o ing o in e ne use. One poin ha we belie e is impo an in his espec is ela ed o he need o aise awa eness among pa en s abou he in oduc ion o online consump ion as a eali y in he educa- ion o hei child en. Ob iously, his pa en al wo k ex ends o he school. In he a o emen ioned epo , o example, he esea che s a gue ha all s akeholde s in educa ion need o wo k o- ge he , om pa en s o eache s and school au ho i ies. The esea che s a e hus clea ly awa e ha “child p o ec ion” is a “huge issue which can only be ackled when esponsi- bili y is sha ed and when he whole school communi y is ac i ely in ol ed” (Blum-Ross e al., 2018, p. 25). Eu ope’s ole The Eu opean Union has also esponded ac i ely o he need o p o ec mino s, especially in he new digi al en i onmen . As ea ly as 1996, he Eu opean Commission published he G een pape : p o ec ion o mino s and human digni y in audio isual and in- o ma ion se ices (Eu opean Commission, 1996a), which ecognised he impo ance o his issue, abo e all because he new media pla o ms could con ibu e mo e isibly and ela i ely quickly han adi ional media o make his ype o con en mo e accessible o Comunicação e Sociedade, ol. 37, 2020 134 P o ec ion o mino s in he Eu opean digi al audio isual con ex . Au o a Labio-Be nal, Lo ena R. Rome o-Domínguez & Ma ía José Ga cía-O a mino s. While he G een pape was a s a ing poin , i would be he Communica ion on illegal and ha m ul con en on he in e ne (Eu opean Commission, 1996b) ha would p opose he i s speci ic con ol measu es o he p o ec ion o mino s, no h ough an awa eness o censo ship bu h ough he c ea ion o a c i ical app oach o he use o on- line con en . To do his, he Commission adop ed a a he nai e s a ing poin ocused only on echnological s anda ds, co e ing pa en al con ol so wa e, con en il e ing sys- ems and an age-based labelling sys em. Al hough i was no a monoli hic p oposal, and de e ed in all cases o he p inciple o subsidia i y, he Commission laid he ounda ions o a ange o p og ams o he p o- ec ion o child en in he digi al en i onmen , wi h an awa eness, as he Eu opean Audio- isual Obse a o y (EAO, 2012) s a es in i s epo s P o ec ion o mino s and audio isual con en on-demand (2012-6), o he need o e alua e and e hink he egula o y and legal amewo k p o ec ing mino s in he audio isual en i onmen in keeping wi h he dyna- mism and changing na u e o he media landscape: a landscape o which he model de- ined in he EU Audio isual Di ec i e (Di ec i e [EU] 2018/1808) was no longe ele an . Acknowledging ha he model o he p o ec ion o mino s in he audio isual en i on- men was ansi ioning o he online wo ld, he new ci cums ances b ough abou by he in e ne ha e made i impossible o apply he adi ional p o ec ion s anda ds. Figu e 2: Compa a i e audio isual chain in adi ional and online ecosys em Sou ce: ERGA, 2015, p.47 These pa ame e s ha e been applied o he de elopmen o he di e en s ages o he “Ac ion plan o a sa e in e ne ”, c ea ed in 1999 o p omo e an en i onmen a ou able o he de elopmen o he in e ne - ela ed indus y, by encou aging sa e use o he web and comba ing illegal and ha m ul con en . The basic pilla s o ac ion (sa e y h ough a Eu opean ne wo k o ho lines o epo ing illegal con en , he de elopmen o con en classi ica ion and il e ing sys ems, ini ia i es o aise awa eness and edu- ca e h ough media li e acy p og ams, and he de elopmen o sel - egula ion ini ia i es) ha e been main ained in he successi e s ages o he plan’s implemen a ion, al hough in all o hese a eas he e has been an inc eased awa eness o he impo ance o issues ela ed o he p o ec ion o mino s, hei digni y and hei p i acy wi h he inc easing ole Comunicação e Sociedade, ol. 37, 2020 135 P o ec ion o mino s in he Eu opean digi al audio isual con ex . Au o a Labio-Be nal, Lo ena R. Rome o-Domínguez & Ma ía José Ga cía-O a played by echnology in hei e e yday li es (acco ding o Commission da a, one ou o e e y h ee in e ne use s in he EU is a child1). Thus, he second s age o he p og am (“Sa e in e ne plus”, 2005-2008) high- ligh ed he need o expand he s a egies o ac ion in iew o he changes aking place in he wo ld o communica ions. In 2009, he hi d s age was launched, in he con ex o a consolida ed online en- i onmen used mo e and mo e ac i ely by child en e en hough hey a e also especially ulne able. The in ense ac i i y o Eu opean ins i u ions in his a ea since he implemen a ion o he i s p ojec (EAO, 2015) has esul ed in a ange o ini ia i es: he “do SAFE” p o- g am; he “Sa e in e ne o um” (since 2004) wi h ep esen a i es om he indus y, legal au ho i ies, legisla i e ins i u ions and ci il o ganisa ions (pa en - eache associa- ions, consume g oups, child p o ec ion g oups, e c.); Insa e and INHOPE (global ne - wo k o ho lines o epo ing illegal con en online and wi h a commi men o elimina - ing online child sexual abuse); “EU kids online” (mapping expe iences o child en online o assess isks and sa e y on websi es); “Mediapp o” (media li e acy p ojec ); he c ea- ion o he “SIP-Bench” p og am (pa en al con ol s a egies); he celeb a ion o Sa e In- e ne Day; he c ea ion o he “In e ne go e nance o um”; he es ablishmen o poin s o con ac whe e child en can ge answe s o hei ques ions abou how o na iga e he in e ne sa ely and o comba cybe bullying and online sexual abuse hanks o he wo k o Sa e In e ne Cen es (SICs); he Poscon (Posi i e Online Con en and Se ices o Chil- d en in Eu ope) Ne wo k; Eu opean NGO Alliance o Child Sa e y Online; Ne Child en Go Mobile; SPIRTO (Sel -P oduced Images Risk Taking Online), e c. The inal s age began in 2014 and is s ill unde way oday, ocusing on ou main a eas o ac ion: 1. encou age he p oduc ion o c ea i e and educa ional online con en o child en and p omo e posi- i e online expe iences o small child en; 2. inc ease awa eness and empowe men , including eaching digi al li e acy and online sa e y a all schools in he EU; 3. c ea e a sa e en i onmen o child en h ough age-app op ia e p i acy con igu a ions, wide use o pa en al con ols, and age-based and con en -based classi ica ion; 4. comba online child sexual abuse ma e ial and sexual exploi a ion o child en. The s a ing poin o his s age was he Commission o he Eu opean Pa liamen , he Council, he Eu opean Economic and Social Commi ee and he Commi ee o he Regions Eu opean S a egy o a Be e In e ne o Child en, published by he Eu opean Commission (2012), which examines he bigges challenges o he online sec o in ma - e s o child p o ec ion. I was comple ed wi h he elease o he Council conclusions on he Eu opean s a egy o a be e in e ne o child en (Council o he Eu opean Union, 2012), which in oduced a new line o ac ion dedica ed o he p omo ion o quali y con en o mino s, designed o comple e he lines o ac ion o he i s h ee s ages. 1 Re ie ed om h ps://ec.eu opa.eu/digi al-single-ma ke /en/con en /c ea ing-be e -in e ne -kids-0 Comunicação e Sociedade, ol. 37, 2020 142 P o ec ion o mino s in he Eu opean digi al audio isual con ex . Au o a Labio-Be nal, Lo ena R. Rome o-Domínguez & Ma ía José Ga cía-O a o he hand, egula o s need o es ablish limi s ha do no cons i u e a subs i u e o pa- en al con ol o an excessi e bu den on con en p o ide s. Mo eo e , pa en s also need o ake esponsibili y o he ype o con en hei child en consume, aking in o accoun he disc imina o y capaci ies o mino s. And on his ques ion, he academic esea ch conduc ed should include s udies o media li e acy, gi en ha p o ec ing child en also in ol es educa ing hem in media consump ion. As we ha e jus sugges ed, his is no easy ask, as we a e dealing wi h a p oblem ha equi es dialogue be ween educa o s, egula o y bodies, con en p o ide s, and pa - en s. In his sense, we belie e bo h he egula ion o he sec o and media li e acy o be impo an , as bo h a e iden i ied as necessa y o he p o ec ion o mino s in he digi al con ex . Fu he mo e, al hough i is beyond he scope o his pape , we also wan o highligh he ole o child en hemsel es in he acquisi ion o skills ha will enable hem o c ea e con en as pa o hei audio isual educa ion in he digi al en i onmen , as an impo an subjec o u u e esea ch. Finally, we o e a se ies o conclusions ha con i m ou ini ial hypo heses and poin o possibili ies o u u e esea ch: 1. pa en s play an essen ial ole in he p o ec ion o mino s in he digi al en i onmen , bu his ole canno be limi ed o echnological con ols. The amily needs o unde s and ha alues educa ion is a necessa y pa o pa en al ca e and o media li e acy; 2. he ask o educa ion in media li e acy needs o be sha ed by pa en s and educa ional ins i u ions, bu also by Eu opean egula o y bodies and con en p o ide s. I is no he exclusi e esponsibili y o schools, bu an obliga ion o be assumed by socie y as a whole; 3. he ul ima e objec i e o his mu ual collabo a ion be ween he indus y, egula o s, pa en s, and educa o s is o help child en o de elop skills and compe encies ha will enable hem o hink c i i- cally and o c ea e quali y con en as pa o hei digi al educa ion. In his s udy we we e in e es ed in conduc ing a heo e ical deba e and analysis o esea ch and expe imen s ca ied ou by academics, egula o s and companies as pa o he cu en Eu opean ci cums ances. The e o e, we did no conside i necessa y o men ion he conclusions eached by he Fo um G oup as hei esea ch was based on a local case. Fo his eason, in he nex phase o ou esea ch we p opose o include hese conclusions as pa o a mo e egional analysis ha ex ends he s udy o he ac i e ole o mino s hemsel es in he digi al en i onmen . In his way and ollowing s udies such as The class: li ing and lea ning in he digi al age (Li ings one & Se on-G een, 2016), ou in en ion is o do a ield analysis ha includes Spanish child en. Based on he ideas d awn om he Fo um G oup, we plan o ca y ou a simila expe imen in ins i u es in Andalusia wi h he aim o p omo ing he bes skills and c i ical hinking among mino s ha enable hem o c ea e con en as pa o hei own digi al educa ion. Re e ences A ea, M. & Gua o, A. (2012). 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Rome o-Domínguez & Ma ía José Ga cía-O a Val e de, D., De P o-Bueno, A. & González, J. (2018). La compe encia in o macional-digi al en la enseñanza y ap endizaje de las ciencias en la educación secunda ia obliga o ia ac ual: una e isión eó ica. Re is a Eu eka sob e Enseñanza y Di ulgación de las Ciencias, 15(2), 2105-1-2105-15. h ps://doi.o g/10.25267/ Re _Eu eka_ensen_di ulg_cienc.2018. 15.i2.2105 Voda one. (2018). In o me in eg ado Voda one España (2017-18). Mad id: Voda one. Biog aphical no es Au o a Labio-Be nal is Te nu ed Jou nalism Lec u e a he Uni e si y o Se ille. PhD and Bachelo s Deg ee in Jou nalism, she is di ec o o he esea ch g oup “Media, Communica ion Policies and Democ acy in he Eu opean Union” (DEMOC-MEDIA). He esea ch ac i i y has ocused on Poli ical Economy o Communica ion and In o ma- ion S uc u e. She has been a isi ing lec u e a he Uni e si y o Wes mins e (London) and a he Au onomous Uni e si y o Ba celona (2010), she has also published he book Communica ion, jou nalism and in o ma ion con ol. ORCID: h ps://o cid.o g/0000-0001-5195-0012 Email: [email p o ec ed] Add ess: School o Communica ion, Jou nalism II Sec ion, Uni e sidad de Se illa, A da. Ame ico Vespucio s/n Ca uja Scien i ic and Technological Pa k, 41092 – Se illa, Spain Lo ena R. Rome o-Domínguez is Te nu ed Jou nalism Lec u e a he Uni e si y o Se ille. PhD and Bachelo s Deg ee in Jou nalism, she is a membe o he esea ch g oup “Media, Communica ion Policies, and Democ acy in he Eu opean Union” (DEMOC- MEDIA). Specializing in he media si ua ion in Ge many, she has collabo a ed wi h he Aus ian Academy o Science in he book Mediens uk u en und Medienpe o manz. She has collabo a ed as a eache and esea che a he ollowing uni e si ies: Humbold Uni- e si ä zu Be lin, Kons anz Uni e si ä , Ca di Uni e si y, Johannes-Gu enbe g Mainz Uni e si ä and Os alia Uni e si ä . ORCID: h ps://o cid.o g/0000-0001-6942-0183 Email: [email p o ec ed] Add ess: School o Communica ion, Jou nalism II Sec ion, Uni e sidad de Se illa, A da. Ame ico Vespucio s/n Ca uja Scien i ic and Technological Pa k, 41092 – Se illa, Spain Ma ía José Ga cía-O a. Bachelo s Deg ee and PhD in Jou nalism om he Uni- e si y o Se illa. She is an associa e lec u e in he Facul y o Communica ion a he Uni e si y o Se illa and a lec u e in he Mas e s Deg ee P og amme in Ins i u ional Communica ion and Poli ics. In addi ion, she is a membe o he esea ch g oup “Me- dia, Communica ion Policies, and Democ acy in he Eu opean Union”. He scien i ic ac i i y has been de eloped bo h in he ield o ad e ising as well as in o he ields o knowledge, highligh ed by elec o al poli ical communica ion, s uc u e o in o ma ion, Comunicação e Sociedade, ol. 37, 2020 146 P o ec ion o mino s in he Eu opean digi al audio isual con ex . Au o a Labio-Be nal, Lo ena R. Rome o-Domínguez & Ma ía José Ga cía-O a he audio isual indus y, and new in o ma ion echnologies, wi h special a en ion gi en o social ne wo ks. ORCID: h ps://o cid.o g/0000-0002-3284-2005 Email: [email p o ec ed] Add ess: School o Communica ion, Jou nalism II Sec ion, Uni e sidad de Se illa, A da. Ame ico Vespucio s/n Ca uja Scien i ic and Technological Pa k, 41092 – Se illa, Spain * Submi ed: 04/11/2019 * Accep ed: 21/04/2020