Lithuania’s child online protection service overwhelmed by complaints as parents bear most responsibility

Lithuania’s state-run service for protecting children online is struggling under a surge of complaints, with officials acknowledging that much of the responsibility still falls on parents, LRT reports.

According to the Communications Regulatory Authority (RRT), the agency tasked with overseeing online child safety received 1,200 complaints in 2025—nearly double the previous year’s total. Most reports concerned harmful content, cyberbullying, or inappropriate advertising targeting minors.

RRT officials noted that while the service can intervene in cases involving illegal material, much of the problematic content—such as aggressive marketing or age-inappropriate media—remains outside its direct control. “We can block or remove what violates the law, but many issues are matters of ethics, not legality,” a spokesperson said.

Experts emphasize that parental supervision and digital literacy remain critical. “No system can fully replace a parent’s role in guiding a child’s online behavior,” said one child safety advocate. Schools and tech platforms are also being urged to strengthen protections, though enforcement remains inconsistent.

The RRT has called for clearer regulations on advertising to minors and stricter penalties for platforms that fail to enforce age restrictions. However, legislative changes have stalled amid debates over free speech and industry pushback.