This Youth Manifesto outlines the ten key principles that European youth have identified as essential to creating a better internet for the future. The Manifesto is publically available but specifically
aimed at European policy makers, industry and other key stakeholders as reflected throughout
the publication. The aim of the Youth Manifesto is to encourage young people to understand and
reflect on what would make the internet a better place for all, and to promote active citizenship and
participation skills that would encourage young people to promote their rights and interests online,
and thus get involved in society at large by reaching out and making their voices heard by those
who have the power to make changes.
The Youth Manifesto initiative was launched in February 2014 by a group of young ambassadors as
part of Safer Internet Day in the presence of the former Vice-President of the European Commission,
Neelie Kroes. The overall objective was to gain the perspective of Europe’s future digital citizens on
what needs to done to achieve the full potential of the internet as a universal tool for communication
and learning.
The final Youth Manifesto principles presented here are the result of a year-long process, led by young
people with the support of the European Commission, the Insafe network of Safer Internet Centres, the
eTwinning network and European Schoolnet. It has involved two Europe-wide consultation stages and
a series of online mentoring sessions.
From February to June 2014, more than 1,000 youngsters
submitted, discussed and voted on ideas for a better internet
in country-specific online debates. These were then whittled
down to a ‘short list’ of about 30 main principles by a pan-European youth panel in early July 2014. In a second stage lasting until late November 2014, young people took part in a pan-European online vote for their preferred short-listed proposals. Once the most voted-for principles had been identified, groups of young people held online meetings with indus try and civil society mentors in January 2015 to further explore
and define the principles.
The resulting Youth Manifesto contains ten principles reflecting the digital rights and opportunities that Europe’s young people view as most essential for building a better internet.
