Recital 42

In order to ensure a high level of privacy, safety and security of minors, it is necessary to put in place effective, visible and child-friendly mechanisms for reporting and for supporting minors to report content, accounts, groups, features and behaviour that may negatively affect their privacy safety and security when using the service. This includes the reporting of accounts owned by users below the minimum age, pursuant to this Regulation. Such mechanisms should not affect the application of Article 16 of Regulation (EU) 2022/2065. In order to ensure a high level of privacy, safety and security of minors, such mechanisms should, where appropriate, enable minors to submit a report in their own words and should ensure that the identity of the minor remains confidential towards other recipients of the service or users of the system by default. Reports submitted by minors should be treated as a matter of priority. Furthermore, minors should receive a confirmation of receipt, together with age-appropriate information on the follow-up process, indicative timelines and possible outcomes. Any restrictions imposed by providers following such reports by minors should be considered as a restriction of the visibility pursuant to Article 17(1), point (a) of Regulation (EU) 2022/2065, where applicable. Additionally, minors should be able to access comprehensive and appropriate support where they encounter illegal and harmful content and activities. To that end, providers of online social networking services, of video-sharing platform services, of AI companions and of general conversational chatbots, and of video gaming platforms services, should make available support tools that are easily accessible and adapted to the needs of minors and that enable referrals or connection to national support services, including Safer Internet Centres, child help and hot lines, child protection services and, where appropriate, contact details of law enforcement. Those support tools should also be connected to national online safety apps, such as the 3018 application provided by e-Enfance, where such apps exist, as well as to the European Online Safety App when available. To ensure that minors are aware of the risks in the online environment, they should be informed of the specific risks prior to posting content or enhancing the visibility of certain content such as reposting content posted by other recipients. To that end, providers of online social networking services, of video-sharing platform services, AI companions, general conversational chatbots, and of online games, should, where appropriate, implement warning messages or other suitable measures aimed at informing minors before they undertake any actions.