UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk emphasized the need for enhanced safety measures on online platforms for children. Turk highlighted that while the digital world offers learning and creativity, it also poses risks to children’s safety, privacy, and well-being. He pointed out that online dangers are not inherent but stem from design choices and business practices that compromise safety, such as addictive features like infinite scroll and autoplay.
Turk stressed the urgency of prioritizing online protection for children, emphasizing the importance of effective implementation. He cautioned against relying solely on social media bans as a solution, advocating for broader actions by governments and companies to ensure safer platform designs. Turk emphasized the responsibility of tech companies to integrate safety features into their platforms rather than burdening parents and children.
The UN Human Rights Office proposed guidelines to enhance online child protection, including age verification guardrails and child rights impact assessments. Turk underscored the necessity of transparency, oversight, and accountability in regulating companies to safeguard children’s rights. He warned against regulations that could inadvertently harm privacy and highlighted the risk of bans leading children to even less monitored platforms.
