New code to keep children safe online

TECH GIANTS would be forced to make children’s privacy online a primary consideration, under regulations produced by the UK’s data regulator.

The final Age Appropriate Design Code has been published by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). It hopes the code will come into effect by the autumn of 2021 pending approval from parliament.

Everything from apps to connected toys, social media platforms to online games, and even educational websites and streaming services, will be expected to make data protection of young people a priority.

The 15 provisions have been “clarified and simplified” since a draft was first revealed in April last year, after consulting with the industry and then being submitted to the Government in November.

Privacy settings should be set to high by default and techniques should not be used to encourage children to weaken their settings, the code states.

Location settings that allow the world to see where a child is, should also be switched off by default.

Data collection and sharing should be minimised and profiling that can allow children to be served up targeted content should be switched off by default too.

Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham said: “I believe that it will be transformational. I think in a generation from now, when my grandchildren have children, they will be astonished to think that we ever didn’t protect kids online. I think it will be as ordinary as keeping children safe by putting on a seat belt.”