Kids won’t ‘like’ this

FACEBOOK and other social media companies may have to turn off the “like” function for British children under proposed guidelines to ensure their safety online.

Techniques that nudge users to follow the tech firms’ desired outcome should not be used to keep under-18s online longer, according to the planned code touted as the first of its kind.

The Information Commissioner’s Office gives examples of these tactics, which can help firms harvest more data, as the “likes” used by Facebook and Instagram as well as Snapchat’s “streaks”.

The code, which begins its consultation process this week, suggests 16 standards that online services must meet. These include that settings must be set to “high privacy” by default without a compelling reason and that only the minimum amount of personal data should be collected.

Nudge techniques should also not be used to encourage children to turn off privacy techniques or provide unnecessary personal data.

“This is the connected generation. The internet and all its wonders are hardwired into their everyday lives,” Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham said. “We shouldn’t have to prevent our children from being able to use it, but we must demand they are protected when they do.”