Centre on Regulation in Europe (CERRE)

Are online business models putting children’s safety at risk, and can EU regulation keep up? Following the European Commission's recent proposal for the EU KIDS Act, we sought to begin to unpack this complex question as we hosted our "Framework for Aligning Business Incentives to Protect Children Online" webinar focusing on CERRE’s newest report on the protection of children online, which takes an ecosystem perspective on the actors delivering content and services to young users. During the webinar, we were joined by: 🔹 Jan Krämer, CERRE Academic Co-Director and University of Passau 🔹 Michèle Ledger, CERRE Research Fellow, Cullen International and University of Namur 🔹 Martin Harris-Hess, Head of Sector, Protection of Minors Online, DG CNECT, European Commission 🔹 Maria Donde, International Affairs Director, Coimisiún na Meán 🔹 Ruben van der Dussen, Child Safety Engineering Lead, Apple 🔹 Antoine Kubiak, EU Government Affairs Manager, Microsoft 🔹 Manon Letouche, Head of EU Affairs, 5Rights Foundation The discussion was moderated by Alexandre de Streel, CERRE Academic Director and University of Namur. We examined how online business models such as advertising-funded, freemium, subscription and transaction-based services can create incentives that put youth at risk, and whether existing EU rules, including the DSA, AVMSD, consumer acquis and GDPR, are equipped to address these challenges. A big thank you to all our speakers and participants for joining this very topical discussion! Discover the whole exchange here: https://lnkd.in/ek5CuQND #ChildOnlineSafety #EUPolicy

📅 One day to go! Tomorrow, CERRE will bring together experts from policy, academia, industry and civil society for our webinar “A Framework for Aligning Business Incentives to Protect Children Online.” The discussion comes at a crucial moment, with the protection of children online high on the EU policy agenda. CERRE’s latest recommendations look beyond individual design features to examine the business models and incentives behind online risks, as well as gaps across the DSA, AVMSD, consumer law and GDPR. The recommendations will be presented by Jan Krämer, CERRE Academic Co-Director, and Michèle Ledger, CERRE Research Fellow, followed by reactions and discussion with Martin Harris-Hess, Maria Donde, Ruben van der Dussen, Antoine Kubiak and Manon Letouche. The session will be moderated by Alexandre de Streel, CERRE Academic Director. 🗓 7 October, from 15:00–16:15 CET 💻 Join us online and register here: https://luma.com/ls8umd6u #CERREEvents #KIDSAct #ChildSafetyOnline #DigitalPolicy #EURegulation

📅 One week to go! Following the announcement of the EU KIDS Act, the debate on how Europe can better protect children online is gaining new momentum. On 7 October, from 15:00 to 16:15, CERRE will host the webinar Towards a Protective Ecosystem for Children Online: Business Models, Incentives and a More Coherent EU Framework. CERRE’s upcoming report argues that tackling harmful design features alone is not enough. Policymakers also need to address the business models and incentives behind them. The webinar will discuss: 🔹 The link between business models and online risks for children 🔹 Gaps across the DSA, AVMSD, consumer law and GDPR 🔹 What a more coherent EU framework could look like 💻 Join us online and register here: https://luma.com/ls8umd6u #CERREEvents #KIDSAct #ChildSafetyOnline #DigitalPolicy #EURegulation

Europe needs AI accountability, not a blanket slowdown The CEO’s of leading AI firms have been calling for the development of AI to slow down. But blindly following their call for a blanket slowdown is not in Europe's best interest. Attracting support from his peers from OpenAI, X and Google, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has called for “pacing the frontier”. His appeal followed news that AI agents powered by frontier models had compromised a tech platform's infrastructure during security testing. Additional similar incidents have been reported since Amodei’s call. With Europe lagging behind in the AI race, slowing down could ultimately strengthen incumbent developers while reducing the Union's choice of suppliers. Instead of just halting all development, Europe should promote policies which will enhance affordable access to AI, rapid adoption and the development of world-leading applications. This requires focusing on combining competition and innovation with stronger safety oversight, independent monitoring, and effective liability rules for harms caused by frontier AI systems. Read the full piece by Bruno LIEBHABERG here: https://lnkd.in/ejfjWmWH #CERREVoices #AI #EUCompetitiveness

How can Europe build a more coherent approach to protecting children online❓ With #SOTEU2026 approaching and child safety online high on the EU agenda, CERRE is bringing new research to the debate. 📚 On 7 October 2026, 15:00 - 16:15 CET, our academic team will examine how online business models shape risks for children, how existing EU rules respond, and where gaps remain. Meet our academic team: 👤 Jan Krämer, CERRE Academic Co-Director and University of Passau 👤 Michèle Ledger, CERRE Research Fellow and University of Namur 👤 Alexandre de Streel, CERRE Academic Director and University of Namur Register now and join us online 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eeXeM3FK #CERREEvents #CERREResearch #ChildSafetyOnline #DigitalPolicy #EURegulation #OnlineSafety

Join us on 30 September 2026 for the “AI Governance and Europe’s Competitive Edge” panel at CERRE’s EU Competitiveness Summit, where the discussion will focus on how AI governance can support innovation, investment and Europe’s global competitiveness. Panellists include: 🎙️ Daniel Gueorguiev, Head of Global Institutional Affairs, Domyn 🎙️ Øystein Landberg, Managing Director, Corporate Affairs, EQT 🎙️ Vidhya Sampath, Director Corporate Affairs Europe, Tata Consultancy Services 🎙️ Risto Uuk, Head of EU Policy and Research, Future of Life 🎙️ Anahita Valakche, Senior Strategist of AI Policy, Office of Responsible AI, Microsoft The session will open with a presentation of CERRE recommendations by Pierre Larouche and Daniel Schnurr, and will be moderated by Zach Meyers. Can't join for the full event? We've got you. Check out our 3 panels and 4 keynotes, pick your must-see sessions from the agenda, choose the sessions that interest you most, and join online whenever it works for you. Register here to join online: https://luma.com/8ypdn84f #CERREEvents #EUCompetitiveness #AIGovernance #AI #EURegulation #Innovation