The G7 digital ministers’ meeting was held in Paris on May 29, adopting a ministerial declaration and a set of “common principles” focused on implementing concrete cooperation measures. The declaration’s core concerns child protection in cyberspace: it clearly states that while digital services are tools for learning and communication, they may have negative impacts on children’s physical and mental health, emphasizing that service providers and governments must take action, including “implementing risk reduction measures and providing tools for parents to manage appropriately.” The common principles will also advance the introduction of effective age verification mechanisms for social platforms. The declaration expressed strong concern over harms caused by generative AI creating pornographic images without consent, and called for strengthening media literacy support for children.
On AI governance, the declaration affirmed that G7 cooperation under the “Hiroshima AI Process” framework has promoted the introduction of safe and trustworthy AI, and noted that promoting AI adoption by small and medium-sized enterprises is essential for economic growth. The meeting was chaired by France, the rotating presidency country. French Digital Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot held a press conference after the meeting, emphasizing the need to promote scientific analysis of digital services used by children. Participants also reached a consensus on addressing issues such as internet addiction and cyberbullying, committing to build a safer online environment.