Minors in the Algorithm Society: the Italian -European Approach of Co-regulation

The essay analyzes the changes introduced by recent interventions of the European Union in the field of the Information Technology Society, for the purpose of increasing accountability of the Big Tech or Tech Giants, with particular regard to minors. Currently, online platforms are configured mainly as intermediary services providers in relationships between professional users and consumers, where direct interpersonal contacts have completely disappeared. New business models, such as concluding contracts through social networks, have become an important part of the daily life of EU citizens. In order to protect the rights of children and adolescents, it is urgent to elaborate reliable age verification systems, intended to guarantee a transparent, inclusive and non-discriminatory web environment and ensure the removal of illegal content from the web. The paper aims at reviewing the effective scope of the European Regulations not only within the common European single market, but also at a global level, underlining the contribution given by the Italian Data Protection Authority in some decisions issued against digital platforms.