Slovakia proposes new law to protect minors in digital spaces

The Slovak Ministry of Interior has completed a draft law aimed at protecting minors in the digital space and has submitted it for interdepartmental commentary. The proposed legislation targets various digital services, including social media, online gaming, and artificial intelligence, rather than specific platforms.

A key measure is the introduction of a technically enforceable age limit of 15 years for accessing risky digital services. To address privacy concerns during age verification, the proposal suggests using the European Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI). This would allow users to confirm they meet age requirements without sharing sensitive personal data like full names or birth dates with service providers.

The law also aims to strengthen parental controls, regulate the commercial use of minors' data, and address addictive or gambling-like mechanisms in games. Additionally, it introduces the right for minors to have their digital footprint erased to ensure they can remove content created before they reached full understanding of its long-term consequences.