Child safety online Archives | Digital Watch Observatory

New AI feature keeps Roblox chat respectful and flowing

Roblox Corporation has unveiled an AI-powered real-time chat rephrasing feature designed to maintain civility while keeping in-game conversations fluid. Previously, messages containing profanity were blocked with hashmarks, disrupting gameplay.

The new system automatically rephrases inappropriate language into more respectful alternatives while preserving the original meaning. Users in the chat are notified when their messages are rephrased, ensuring transparency.

The feature supports in-game chat between age-verified users and all languages via Roblox’s automatic translation. The company consulted its TEEN COUNCIL to design the system, ensuring it reflects how teens naturally communicate.

Earlier experiments with real-time warnings and notifications reduced filtered messages and abuse reports by 5–6%, indicating the approach’s effectiveness.

Roblox is also enhancing its text filters to detect complex attempts to bypass Community Standards, such as leet-speak or symbols. Testing shows a 20-fold reduction in missed cases involving the sharing of personal information, such as social handles or phone numbers.

These upgrades represent a significant step toward safer, more natural in-game chat.

The company plans to continue refining these tools, aiming to minimise disruptions further while promoting civil communication. Users can expect iterative improvements and additional controls in the future to enhance chat safety and overall user experience.

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Privacy lawsuit targets Meta AI glasses after reports of footage review

Meta is facing a new lawsuit in the US over privacy concerns tied to its AI smart glasses.

The legal complaint follows investigative reporting indicating that contractors working for a Kenya-based subcontractor reviewed footage captured by users’ devices, including sensitive personal scenes.

The lawsuit alleges that some of the reviewed material included nudity and other intimate activities recorded by the glasses’ cameras.

According to the complaint, the footage formed part of a data review process designed to improve the AI system integrated into the wearable device.

Plaintiffs claim Meta marketed the product as prioritising user privacy, citing advertisements suggesting that the glasses were ‘designed for privacy’ and that users remained in control of their personal data.

The complaint argues that such messaging could mislead consumers if the footage were subject to human review without clear disclosure.

A legal action that also names eyewear manufacturer Luxottica, which partnered with Meta to produce the glasses.

Meanwhile, the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office has begun examining the issue after reports that face-blurring safeguards may not have consistently protected individuals captured in the recordings.

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Social media access for children under 16 set to be banned in Indonesia

Indonesia plans to introduce strict limits on social media access for children under 16, as the government moves to address growing concerns about online safety and digital well-being.

Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid confirmed that a new regulation has been signed banning minors from creating accounts on high-risk platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live and Roblox.

Implementation will begin gradually from 28 March as platforms adapt their systems to comply with the new rules.

Authorities say the measure responds to rising risks faced by young users online, including exposure to harmful content, cyberbullying, online fraud and excessive platform use.

Officials argue that stronger government intervention is needed to support families dealing with the influence of large digital platforms and algorithm-driven services.

Indonesia’s decision places the country at the forefront of youth-focused social media regulation in Southeast Asia. Similar restrictions have been debated globally, with Australia introducing a nationwide age threshold in 2025 that led platforms to remove millions of accounts linked to underage users.

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EU launches panel on child safety online and social media age rules

The European Commission has convened a new expert panel tasked with examining how children can be better protected across digital platforms, including social media, gaming environments and AI tools.

The initiative reflects growing concern across Europe regarding the psychological and safety risks associated with young users’ online behaviour.

Announced during the 2025 State of the Union Address by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the panel will evaluate evidence on both the opportunities and harms linked to children’s digital engagement.

Specialists from health, computer science, child rights and digital literacy will work alongside youth representatives to assess current research and policy responses.

Discussions during the first meeting centred on platform responsibility, including age-appropriate safety-by-design features, algorithmic amplification and addictive product design.

An initiative that also addresses digital literacy for children, parents and educators, while considering how regulatory measures can reduce risks without undermining the benefits of online participation.

The panel’s work complements the enforcement of the Digital Services Act and related European policies designed to strengthen protections for minors online.

Among the tools under development is an EU age-verification application currently tested in several member states, intended to support privacy-preserving checks compatible with the future EU digital identity framework.

The panel is expected to deliver policy recommendations to the Commission by summer 2026.

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China strengthens online safeguards for minors

Chinese authorities have introduced new rules to classify online content that could affect the health and well-being of minors. Set to take effect on 1 March, the measures aim to adapt to a rapidly evolving internet landscape.

Top government bodies, including those in cyberspace, education, publishing, film, culture, tourism, public security, and radio and television, jointly released the initiative. Together, they outlined four categories of content that could negatively impact minors and specified their key characteristics.

Recent issues, such as the misuse of minors’ images, have been integrated into the regulatory framework. Authorities also established preventive guidelines to manage risks from emerging technologies, including algorithmic recommendations and generative AI.

Internet platforms and content producers are now required to take both proactive and corrective measures against harmful content. The rules emphasise that platforms must monitor, block, or remove information that could affect minors’ well-being.

The Cyberspace Administration of China pledged to continue purifying the online environment. Authorities will urge platforms to assume their primary responsibilities and strengthen governance of content affecting young users, aiming to create a safer and healthier digital space for children.

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TikTok rejects end-to-end encryption citing safety concerns

TikTok will not adopt end-to-end encryption for direct messages. The company explained that using this technology could hinder safety teams’ and law enforcement’s efforts to detect harmful content in private messages, which the company believes could make users less safe online.

Encrypted messaging ensures that only the sender and recipient can read a conversation and is widely used across the social media industry. Rivals including Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and X have adopted the technology, saying protecting private communication is central to user privacy.

The issue has become more sensitive because the platform has long faced scrutiny over possible links between its parent company, ByteDance, and the government of the People’s Republic of China, something the company has repeatedly denied. Reflecting these concerns, earlier this year, US lawmakers ordered the separation of TikTok’s US operations from its global business.

The company told the BBC that encrypted messaging would make it impossible for police and platform safety teams to read direct messages when needed. TikTok emphasised that this decision was made to enhance user protection, with a particular focus on the safety of younger users, and that it sees monitoring capabilities as crucial for addressing harmful behaviour.

Industry analyst Matt Navarra said the platform’s decision to ‘swim against the tide’ is ‘notable’ but presents ‘challenging optics’. He noted, ‘Grooming and harassment risks are present in DMs [direct messages], so TikTok can state it is prioritising proactive safety over privacy absolutism,’ though he added that the decision ‘places TikTok out of alignment with global privacy expectations’.

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Council of Europe issues new guidance on AI and gender equality

Ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March, the Council of Europe adopted two new recommendations addressing gender equality and the prevention of violence against women in the context of emerging technologies.

One recommendation targets the design and use of AI to prevent discrimination, while the other focuses on accountability for technology-facilitated violence against women and girls.

The AI recommendation advises member states on preventing discrimination throughout the lifecycle of AI systems, from development to deployment and retirement. It highlights risks like gender bias while promoting transparency, explainability, and safeguards.

Special attention is given to discrimination based on gender, race, and sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression (SOGIESC).

The second recommendation sets the first international standard for addressing technology-facilitated violence against women. It outlines strategies to overcome impunity, including clearer legal frameworks, accessible reporting systems, and victim-centred approaches.

Emphasis is placed on multistakeholder engagement, trauma-informed policies, and safety-by-design in technology products to prevent digital harm.

Both recommendations reinforce the importance of combining regulation, institutional support, and public awareness to ensure technology advances equality rather than perpetuates harm.

The formal launch is scheduled for 10 June 2026 at the Palais de l’Europe in Strasbourg during an event titled ‘From standards to action: making accountability for technology-facilitated violence against women and girls a reality.’

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China expands oversight of youth online safety

China has introduced new measures to regulate online information that could affect the physical and mental health of minors. Authorities in China said the rules will take effect on 1 March and aim to improve protection for young internet users.

The regulators identified four categories of online information that may harm minors. The authorities have also addressed emerging risks linked to algorithmic recommendations and generative AI technologies.

The framework in China requires internet platforms and content creators to prevent and respond to harmful material. Regulators said companies must strengthen the monitoring and governance of content affecting minors.

Authorities said the measures are designed to create a cleaner online environment for children. Officials also stressed greater responsibility for platforms that manage digital content used by minors.

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OpenAI upgrades ChatGPT conversations with GPT-5.3 Instant

The most widely used ChatGPT model has received an update from OpenAI, introducing GPT-5.3 Instant to make everyday conversations more coherent, useful, and natural.

An upgrade that focuses on improving tone, contextual understanding, and the flow of dialogue rather than only benchmark performance.

One of the main improvements concerns how the model handles refusals and safety responses. Earlier versions sometimes declined questions that could have been answered safely or delivered overly cautious explanations before responding.

GPT-5.3 Instant instead gives more direct answers while still maintaining safety constraints, reducing interruptions that previously slowed conversations.

The update also improves the way ChatGPT uses information from the web. Instead of simply summarising search results or presenting long lists of links, the model now integrates online information with its own reasoning.

Such an approach aims to produce more relevant answers that highlight key insights at the beginning of responses.

Reliability has also improved. Internal evaluations conducted by OpenAI show reductions in hallucination rates across multiple domains.

When using web sources, hallucinations dropped by roughly 26.8 percent in higher-risk fields such as medicine, law, and finance. Improvements were also recorded when the model relied only on its internal knowledge.

Beyond factual accuracy, the model is designed to feel more natural in conversation. OpenAI says the system now avoids overly preachy language, unnecessary disclaimers, and intrusive remarks that previously disrupted dialogue.

The goal is a more consistent conversational personality across updates, while maintaining the familiar user experience of ChatGPT.

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EU citizens propose public social media network under new initiative

The European Commission has registered a European Citizens’ Initiative proposing the creation of a public social media platform operating at the European level, rather than relying exclusively on private technology companies.

An initiative titled the European Public Social Network calls for legislation establishing a publicly funded digital platform designed to serve societal interests.

Organisers argue that a publicly owned network could function independently from commercial incentives and political pressure while guaranteeing equal rights for users across the EU. The proposed platform would operate as a public service overseen by society rather than private corporations.

Registration confirms that the proposal meets the legal requirements of the European Citizens’ Initiative framework. The Commission has not yet assessed the substance of the idea, and registration does not imply support for the proposal.

Supporters must now gather 1 million signatures from citizens across at least 7 EU member states within 12 months. If the threshold is reached, the Commission will be required to formally examine the initiative and decide whether legislative action is appropriate.

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