UN demands urgent measures to protect children online

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, said protecting children on the internet is an “urgent priority”. He urged governments and technology companies to go beyond age‑based bans and make platforms safer by design. The UN Human Rights office released ten guidelines that call for stronger age‑verification safeguards, mandatory child‑rights impact assessments, data‑protection measures and independent oversight of tech firms.

Turk warned that recent restrictions in Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Austria, Denmark, France, Spain and the United Kingdom, which limit minors’ access to social media, can be easily bypassed and do not address the underlying design features—such as infinite scroll, autoplay and persistent notifications—that make platforms risky for children. He called for wider action, including requiring companies to embed safety from the outset, hold perpetrators accountable, and involve children in shaping regulatory responses.

The UN’s push comes amid a global push for stricter oversight of social‑media platforms, with several countries testing age‑based bans and stricter regulations. Child‑safety advocates argue that bans alone are insufficient without comprehensive regulation of content moderation and platform design.