The funding will ensure the continuation of the well-established European network of national SICs, by enabling the awarded consortia to provide at least:

• A centre for raising awareness among children, parents/carers, teachers and educators as well as other relevant professionals working with children about online opportunities and risks for the under 18s. The focus will be to identify and address:
  • • specific and general known risks (e.g. harmful and illegal content, cyberbullying, age-inappropriate content; sexual extortion, addictive design and manipulation, disinformation);
    • specific and general emerging risks (e.g. new apps, games, online challenges and trends; AI and generative AI, including AI generated pornographic and violent content such as CSAM; virtual, augmented and extended reality; the internet of things and other technological changes raising new social and ethical challenges that impact children);
    • issues such as mental and physical health risks related to the use of technologies (e.g. self-harm, cyberbullying, risky online challenges, promotion of eating disorders, screen addiction, social isolation, exposure to age-inappropriate content online, including pornographic and violent content, and sexual extortion);
    • risks facing children as young consumers (e.g. nudges to spend money, aggressive marketing strategies, lootboxes).
• A helpline to give advice and support to children and adults around them on issues related to children’s use of digital technologies and services; to provide assistance on mental health issues relating to the exposure to age-inappropriate content online, including pornographic and violent content; to strengthen support to victims of cyberbullying, close cooperation with the national Child Helpline 116111 service is required.
• A hotline for tackling the spread of online CSAM (i.e., receiving, analysing, and processing reports of such material). Closer cooperation with law enforcement and the private sector should be further explored in the context of the EU strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual abuse, proposed Regulation to prevent and combat child sexual abuse and recast of the Directive 2011/93/EU on child sexual abuse.
• A youth panel to engage directly with children from different demographic groups, including the organisation of regular youth participation activities, allowing them to express their views and pool their knowledge and experience of using online technologies. Adequate turnover, geographic balance and an open selection of participants is required.