Guest Author – Konstantinos Papachristou
Recently I participated in MWC Barcelona, the largest and most influential annual global event for the connectivity ecosystem. The conference was a place full of innovative and impressive technological features, with opportunities to hear from experts, funders, innovators, and decision-makers.
What was clear, however, is that technology and advancements are not effective when people are being left behind or harmed. Innovation and technology should adopt a safety-by-design principle that will set the framework for greater access and protection for the most vulnerable online. Young people today are facing a myriad of challenges related to connectivity, access, but also safety and protection online. Although safety might not be the first thing that comes to mind when we discuss technological developments, it is such a significant topic that affects millions of children globally.
On the 28th of February, I had the privilege to speak on the panel “Putting our Next Generation at the Heart of Digital Policy” alongside 5rights Head of EU Affairs Andrea Tognoni, and with UNICEF’s Children’s Rights and Business Specialist, Josianne Galea Baron, moderated by the Telenor Group VP & Head of Sustainability, Zainab Hussain Siddiqui.
As a Youth Advocate, and a Policy and Research Officer at the UK Safer Internet Centre, I had the opportunity to reflect the perspective of young people, focusing on the 2024 Safer Internet Day Research that was launched in February. The research found that three quarters (74%) of parents and carers, and just under half (45%) of children have worries about safety as developments with artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR) and new social media apps continue to accelerate. It found that 80% of children and young people think that young people should be listened to more about changes in technology, such as how it can remain safe.
We often hear the argument that young people are the future, and we therefore need to minimise the harm they face online. Young people are active and present now in the online world and the harms are happening now. So, the need for effective and proactive legislation, collaboration and a safety-by-design approach co-designed by young people is of paramount importance.
Recognising the situation of Youth
Some of the key takeaways from the MWC event for me were:
Young people who are growing up today are facing an overly complicated world with rapidly changing technologies, most of them are digital-by-default and they have their own mobile devices or access to social media from a young age. Young people in today’s world are forced into maturity early, particularly when they are easily able to access content which is age inappropriate, or by facing issues such as online harassment and bullying.
For millions of children who have access to the internet, it is often a space which is mostly unregulated, and as a result of this young people can face significant risk whilst online. The content we see and interact with has a tremendous impact on our lives, our mental health, and our beliefs.
According to recently published UCL research: “Harmful views and tropes are now becoming normalised among young people. Online consumption is impacting young people’s offline behaviours, as we see these ideologies moving off screens and into school yards. “Further, adults are often unaware of how harmful algorithmic processes function, or indeed how they could feed into their own social media addictions, making parenting around these issues difficult.” This adds context to the Safer Internet Day 2024 research which illustrates that “parents and carers have concerns about the influence of what their children see online. (74%) worry, for example, that social media influencers could have a negative impact on the mental or emotional well-being of their child”.
Young people today are influenced by the content they see online, and significant steps should be taken to protect children from inappropriate and harmful content. Age assurance technologies are significant steps to safeguard digital spaces, preventing children from accessing inappropriate and harmful content. By engaging young people in the policymaking process, we can gain invaluable insights into the challenges they face, their perspectives on online safety, and their needs in the digital landscape. This inclusive approach ensures that policies are not only informed by the realities of young people’s online lives but also reflect their aspirations and concerns, ultimately leading to more effective and relevant digital policies.
Promoting positive content and safety by design
Acknowledging children as prominent users of the internet highlights the importance of creating technology products and services that prioritise their safety and access. With children comprising a third of all internet users, their perspectives and experiences must play a pivotal role in shaping the digital environment.
Therefore, it is essential to shape their online experiences to foster knowledge, broaden horizons, and encourage the development of healthy digital identities. This means prioritising access to constructive and educational content while actively minimizing exposure to hate speech, misogynistic messaging, and other harmful content that can have long-lasting detrimental effects on their well-being and development. By implementing robust regulations, promoting responsible media literacy practices, we can create a digital environment that nurtures the growth and flourishing of our younger generations.
The current technological advancements, without the framework of safety, can be particularly harmful to vulnerable groups such as children. Safety-by-design is the guiding principle for any technological development. Promoting a ‘Safety by Design’ approach involves incorporating protective features for children into technology right from the start. This proactive approach ensures that children’s safety is not merely an afterthought but rather a fundamental aspect of tech development.
Introducing an international regulatory regime and youth voice
The Digital Services Act (DSA) in the EU and the Online Safety Act (OSA) in the UK are important milestones which indicate momentum in the field of child safety. These two important regulatory frameworks combined with General Comment 25, can act as a global framework which transitions the current digital space to one that is safe by design. Undertaking such a colossal and complicated task of regulation also provides another opportunity to set precedence which could also be emulated by other governments around the world. The online ecosystem is in its nature global, and an international approach is required to truly make sure that people can thrive and be safe online.
At the same time, for many young people, the policy-making process feels so distant from their reality. According to the 2024 Safer Internet Day research, only 34 per cent of children are aware of the existence of the Online Safety Act, indicating a notable lack of awareness regarding the policymaking process and a limited understanding of the law’s significance in shaping our digital experiences.
Making sure young people are aware of policies to keep the internet safe
Young people need to be aware of policy development that affects their lives, and above all be involved in the process of creating, amending, and evaluating legislation that affects them. At the UK Safer Internet Centre, we are committed to raising the voice of Young People and we work closely with Childnet’s Youth Advisory Board, and the Digital Champions Program to feed in our policy work the voice and experiences of children online.
A cross-sector coordinated action which involves governments, regulators, legislators, businesses, and young people guided by the framework provided by the DSA, OSA and General Comment No.25 can develop, innovate, and expand online access in a safety-by-design manner. Technology companies also have a crucial role to play in that aspect by limiting the harm caused by online services, and by adopting effective age verification mechanisms.
An accessible and safe internet can amplify the voices, and experiences of children who are not just the future, but also present active users of the digital space. The internet can be a space of connectivity, knowledge and democratisation which will elevate the voice of young people.
I was pleased to see that the issue of Child Rights and Online Safety were widely covered in the 2024 Mobile World Congress, which is a notable example of how to combine connectivity and innovation with safety and youth empowerment. I am eager to see how we can work on these and further develop a global regulatory framework that will keep people online safe. It is imperative that a youth-centred approach and the Safety-by-Design principle are integrated into all tech discussions, policy decisions, and technological developments, both within the sector and on a global scale, to foster a coordinated effort that transforms the internet into a safe and positive environment for everyone.