Children’s code pioneered in the UK forces tech firms to give more protection to young
A LEGALLY enforced children’s code pioneered in the UK has forced social media companies to make nearly 100 changes to their platforms to protect young people online, research shows.
The code, championed by The Telegraph in its Duty of Care campaign and introduced as part of the 2018 data protection act, requires tech firms to ensure children only have access to content that is appropriate to their age – or face fines of up to 4 per cent of their global turnover.
Similar measures have since been adopted by states across the US, as well as countries including the Netherlands, Ireland, Sweden, Canada and Australia.
The research by the Institute of Digital Media and Child Development found tech firms had made 91 changes across six of the biggest platforms and products used by younger children and teenagers. The six are Youtube, Tiktok, Snapchat, Instagram, Amazon Marketplace and Google Search. Among changes to ensure children saw age-appropriate content were Tiktok’s curfew on push notifications after 9pm for teenagers aged 13 to 15 and after 10pm for those aged 16 to 17.
In response to demands for greater parental control, Youtube now offers different settings for children so parents can screen and block content.
Platforms like Youtube were also using AI technology to identify underaged users, who would be then required to provide ID such as passports to be able to remain on the site.
Youtube Kids has also started to remove what they call “overly commercial content” such as product packaging videos.
To boost privacy, Youtube, tiktok, and Instagram will automatically set accounts of underage users to the most private setting (under-18 and under-16 respectively).
Kris Perry, executive director of Children and Screens, said: “These changes, which span critical areas such as safety and well-being, privacy and data management, and time management, mark significant strides toward mitigating the risks associated with digital media consumption among youth.