The UN Human Rights Office has urged governments and technology companies to adopt a rights-based approach to protecting children online, warning that social media bans alone are unlikely to address the underlying causes of digital harms. New guidelines call for safer platform design, stronger accountability measures and privacy-preserving safeguards.
The UN Human Rights Office has called for stronger action by governments and technology companies to improve children’s safety online, warning that social media bans alone are unlikely to address the underlying causes of digital harms.
In a statement accompanying the release of new guidelines on child safety online, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said children continue to face risks to their safety, privacy and well-being in digital environments, many of which stem from platform design choices and business practices.
‘The digital world that connects children to learning, community, and creativity also exposes them to real risks to their safety, privacy, and well-being,’ Türk said.
He argued that harms are not inevitable but are often linked to features designed to maximise engagement, including infinite scrolling, autoplay functions and persistent notifications.
The Office’s new guidance, Getting Children’s Safety Online Right, outlines a human rights-based approach to regulating digital platforms and protecting minors online. The guidelines come as governments around the world increasingly consider age-based restrictions on access to social media services.
Türk cautioned against treating such measures as a comprehensive solution. According to the guidelines, restrictions on children’s access to online services should be targeted at clearly identified harms and accompanied by broader measures addressing platform design, accountability and data protection.
The guidance recommends that governments require technology companies to incorporate safety protections into products and services from the outset. It also calls for mandatory child rights impact assessments, safeguards around age-verification systems, greater transparency from companies, stronger oversight mechanisms and access to remedies when children’s rights are violated.
The High Commissioner warned that regulations focused solely on age thresholds may leave unchanged the recommendation systems, algorithms and platform features that can contribute to harmful online experiences.
The guidelines also raise concerns about the privacy implications of poorly designed age-verification systems. According to the Office, such systems could fail to achieve their intended objectives while simultaneously increasing risks to the privacy of both children and adults.
The publication comes amid a growing international debate over children’s access to social media. Australia adopted legislation in late 2025 restricting access to social media platforms for users under 16, while Indonesia and Malaysia have introduced age-based restrictions. Several other countries are considering similar measures.
Türk also noted that existing experience suggests that social media bans can be circumvented and may unintentionally encourage children to migrate to less regulated or less monitored online spaces.
The UN Human Rights Office said effective child protection requires a broader approach that combines regulation, accountability, privacy safeguards and child participation in policymaking processes.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
————————————————
