On 23 June 2026, the Council of the EU approved draft conclusions on preventing and combating cyber violence against girls, adopting corrections to paragraphs 33, 37, and 38 of document ST 9555/26. The conclusions call on digital service providers to embed safety and data protection by design, mitigate gender-based violence risks from AI and algorithms, and link victim reporting mechanisms to cross-platform blocking and victim support.
The document, approved at a Council meeting on 19 June 2026, encourages relevant providers—including hosting online platforms, digital social media, video-on-demand platforms, telecoms, and electronic device manufacturers—to adopt data-protection-by-default-and-by-design and safety-by-design approaches. It urges investment in detection tools such as pop-up warnings, content moderation, and image-based detection to prevent non-consensual sharing of intimate images, in line with existing EU legislation.
Paragraph 37 specifically encourages providers of hosting online platforms and other intermediary services to identify and mitigate systemic risks related to gender-based violence arising from recommender systems, generative AI, and automated content amplification. It calls for countering harmful content, including online hate speech targeting girls—particularly those from LGBTI, disabled, racial, ethnic, or religious minority groups—while respecting fundamental rights and freedom of expression.
Paragraph 38 urges providers to link victim reporting mechanisms to technical infrastructures enabling cross-platform blocking and victim support, ensuring accessible redress and remedies for victims of technology-facilitated gender-based violence, and applying safety-by-design principles throughout.
The conclusions are non-binding but set a policy direction for the Commission and member states. They do not introduce new legislation but reinforce existing obligations under the Digital Services Act and the General Data Protection Regulation. The Council's move signals growing political consensus on the need for platform accountability in addressing gender-based violence online, though implementation will depend on voluntary cooperation from industry and future regulatory initiatives.