The U.S. and U.K. governments today announced they’re creating a joint children’s online safety working group in an effort to find “common solutions” to the issue of child safety online.
“As more children across the U.S. and around the globe have access to online platforms for online learning and social media, there is also increased risk to this exposure,” the U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in a statement. “That is why we are taking the necessary steps in the United States, and with our U.K. partners, to protect children’s privacy, safety, and mental health.”
U.K. Technology Secretary Peter Kyle called the venture a “historic agreement.” Though he said technology provides “incredible benefits for young people, enriching their education and social lives,” he believes that safety has become something of an “afterthought” for the companies that own the technology.
The U.K. already has the Online Safety Act, a sweeping piece of tech legislation designed to rein in the “Wild West” of online technology. Privacy advocates have called the act Orwellian, in that protecting children will come with heightened surveillance. But it also includes guidance, which it seems right now is promoting fewer smartphones in schools – probably a good thing.
In the U.S., the issue of child safety has been far more blustery of late, with politicians denouncing tech companies as seekers of continual growth wearing blinkers where safety is concerned. Again, there are concerns over surveillance, censorship and cutting off kids from valuable information, but in general, how children’s minds are rooted in technology and the consequences of that have led to wide agreements that something isn’t working.
U.S. lawmakers introduced the “Protecting Kids on Social Media Act,” while attorneys general around the country have called for more action to protect children online. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy went as far as calling the mental health crisis among the young a “national emergency,” putting a lot of the blame on digital technology.
It’s very likely the public will respond well to this latest collaboration. The two nations put out a press release today explaining the first steps that will be taken, which will include trying to develop better moderation, understanding addiction and safeguarding kids from harmful content, whether sexual or online bullying.
“Children’s online safety is an issue of global importance,” the statement concluded. “We also plan to work with our international partners to develop and promote common solutions, shared principles, and global standards that prioritize children’s wellbeing and champion a free, open, and secure internet.”