Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated that the dangers children encounter online, including addictive design features and privacy violations, are not unavoidable consequences but rather the outcome of deliberate commercial decisions.
‘Addictive features’
“Online harms to kids’ safety, privacy and wellbeing result from design choices and business practices that undermine safety, including addictive design features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, and persistent notifications,” Türk explained.
These remarks come as the UN releases new guidelines, titled Getting Children’s Safety Online Right, amidst a global increase in age-based social media restrictions. Countries like Australia, Indonesia, and Malaysia have already implemented bans for children under 16, with many others considering similar measures.
However, Mr. Türk cautioned that such bans are easily bypassed and could inadvertently push children toward more dangerous and less regulated online spaces. “Simply limiting access to platforms that remain unsafe cannot stand as the endpoint,” he asserted.
Peggy Hicks, OHCHR Director of Thematic Engagement and Special Procedures, presented tech companies with a clear ultimatum: either redesign their platforms to better safeguard children’s rights and safety, or face stricter legislation and significant regulatory fines.
The newly released guidelines advocate for integrating safety into platform architecture from the initial design phase, shifting the responsibility away from parents and children to manage risks independently.
Further recommendations include mandatory child rights impact assessments, robust age verification systems to mitigate privacy risks, and genuine engagement with children when developing regulatory frameworks.
Ms. Hicks emphasized the critical need for agile, evidence-based policymaking in the rapidly evolving digital landscape, which includes the emergence of AI and chatbots. “We need to collect the evidence and adapt quickly to what we learn,” she stated.
The full guidelines are accessible on the OHCHR website, and a video statement from High Commissioner Türk is also available.
