Recital 73

Given the importance of the impact of the services and systems in scope of this Regulation on the protection of minors, the failure of the providers to ensure a high level of privacy, safety and security and comply with the specific obligations applicable to them may rapidly come to seriously affect a substantial number of minors using their services or systems across different Member States and may cause substantial harms, while such failures may also be particularly complex to identify and address timely. The Commission, in cooperation with the competent authorities, should develop the Union expertise and capabilities, including establishing knowledge sharing networks, to respond quickly to such incidents affecting the protection of minors. Such incidents should be understood as fast-evolving situations taking place within or outside the EU, with an online dimension and presumed connection to the scope of this Regulation, that seriously and negatively affect the privacy, safety, security or health and well-being of minors the service in the Union, and that requires an immediate response, such as dangerous or harmful challenges circulating among minors and posing them at immediate risk. The Commission should therefore be able to coordinate and rely on the expertise and resources of competent authorities, for example by analysing, on a permanent or temporary basis, specific trends or issues emerging regarding those fast-evolving situations which impact minors’ health, well-being, privacy, safety, and security. Member States should cooperate with the Commission in developing such capabilities, including through secondment of personnel where appropriate, and contributing to the creation of a common Union supervisory capacity, as well as an administrative arrangement setting out procedures to facilitate a rapid response in the event of an incident affecting the protection of minors. Member States should establish minimum preparedness levels for national authorities to ensure regular communications channels between relevant national authorities and third parties and map and where relevant incident reaction protocols at national level.