Children’s rights

Canada introduces Safe Social Media Act targeting online harms and AI chatbots

Canada has introduced the Safe Social Media Act, legislation that would establish new online safety requirements for social media platforms and certain AI chatbot services. Bill C-34 aims to make regulated services more accountable for addressing online harms before they occur.

The Safe Social Media Act would create a new legislative and regulatory framework through the proposed Digital Safety Act. Regulated services would be required to identify, assess and mitigate risks on their platforms, implement safety-by-design features, make user guidelines easily accessible, provide tools such as blocking and reporting mechanisms, and publish Digital Safety Plans.

The bill would prohibit children under the age of 16 from holding social media accounts. Social media services could seek an exemption if they demonstrate that sufficient safeguards for children are in place.

The Safe Social Media Act is organised around three core duties: a Duty to Protect Children, a Duty to Act Responsibly and a Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible. Social media services would be required to assess and mitigate risks associated with seven categories of harmful content, including child sexual victimisation, content inducing a child to self-harm, cyberbullying, hatred, violence, terrorism or violent extremism, and intimate content shared without consent.

Regulated social media services would also be required to make certain content inaccessible to users in Canada, including content that sexually victimises a child or revictimises a survivor, and intimate content communicated without consent, including sexualised deepfakes. The government said these categories can cause substantial and lasting harm even when a single item is shared.

Under the proposed legislation, AI chatbot services would be subject to a tailored Duty to Act Responsibly. The proposed requirements include mitigating the risk that chatbots communicate harmful content, being transparent about reporting thresholds in crisis situations, and reducing the risk of harmful chatbot behaviour.

The legislation would establish an independent Digital Safety Commission of Canada responsible for enforcing the framework, assessing compliance, conducting audits and inspections, issuing compliance orders and imposing administrative monetary penalties. The Commission would also handle certain complaints, develop guidance and support research on online safety best practices.

Why does it matter?

The Safe Social Media Act reflects a growing international shift towards preventative online safety regulation. Rather than focusing solely on the removal of illegal content after it appears, the proposed framework would require platforms and AI services to assess risks proactively and implement measures designed to reduce harm before it occurs.

The inclusion of AI chatbot services is particularly notable, as governments worldwide are increasingly examining the safety implications of generative AI systems. If adopted, the legislation could position Canada among the first countries to apply a comprehensive online safety framework that combines platform accountability, child protection measures and AI-specific obligations under a single regulatory regime.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

ILO highlights child protection risks amid digital transformation

The International Labour Organization (ILO), together with UNICEF and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), used a high-level roundtable in Türkiye to highlight the growing connection between digital transformation and child protection.

While the event focused primarily on eliminating child labour, discussions also examined the opportunities and risks associated with rapid technological change.

ILO Türkiye Director Yasser Hassan noted that digital transformation can support economic development, productivity growth and poverty reduction. However, he warned that rapidly evolving technologies may also expose children to new forms of exploitation, including technology-enabled commercial sexual exploitation and other online harms.

Participants stressed that child protection considerations should be incorporated into the design, deployment and governance of digital technologies from the outset. The discussion reflected growing international concern that digitalisation can create new vulnerabilities alongside economic opportunities, particularly for children and young people.

The ILO roundtable also highlighted Türkiye’s broader policy agenda, including digital transformation initiatives within the National Employment Strategy 2025–2028. Stakeholders emphasised the importance of ensuring that digital innovation is accompanied by education, social protection, labour rights protections and child safeguarding measures.

Why does it matter?

The discussion reflects an increasingly important policy debate: how digital transformation can be harnessed while protecting vulnerable groups from emerging risks.

As governments, businesses and international organisations accelerate the adoption of AI, digital platforms and connected technologies, concerns about online child exploitation, digital rights and technology governance are becoming more prominent.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

UK to issue guidance on smartphone and screen use for children

The Department for Education and Department of Health and Social Care have announced plans to publish guidance on mobile device use for children aged 5 to 16. The guidance, due to be published this autumn, aims to provide parents with practical advice on issues including screen time, social media use, sleep and smartphone habits.

A three-week call for evidence has been launched to help shape the guidance, supported by an independent expert group co-chaired by Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza and Professor Russell Viner. The review will also examine how children use screens in schools and at home.

The government said technology can support learning, creativity and inclusion, particularly for children with special educational needs and disabilities. It added that the guidance will focus on helping families make informed decisions about online safety rather than imposing blanket restrictions on technology use.

Alongside the guidance, the government plans additional measures relating to technology in education, including the possible introduction of safety certification for certain school technology products and the creation of an AI Youth Advisory Board.

Ministers are also considering measures such as app curfews, time limits and other tools aimed at improving children’s online safety. The announcement was made in the UK, where ministers said technology used in schools should be safe, effective and supported by evidence.

Why does it matter?

Governments around the world are increasingly examining the impact of smartphones, social media and digital platforms on children’s wellbeing, safety and development. While technology can provide educational and social benefits, concerns have grown over excessive screen time, online harms, sleep disruption and the effects of digital services on young people.

The UK’s approach reflects a broader policy trend towards evidence-based guidance and targeted safeguards rather than outright restrictions. The review may also influence future discussions on digital wellbeing, online safety, parental controls and the role of technology in education.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

Apple unveils next-generation Siri AI and expanded child safety features

Apple has unveiled the next generation of Apple Intelligence at WWDC26, introducing a significantly upgraded Siri designed to provide deeper personal context awareness, broader app integration and more advanced conversational capabilities.

The new assistant can search across messages, emails and photos, answer questions about on-screen content and access web information to provide more up-to-date responses while maintaining Apple’s privacy-focused approach.

Alongside its AI announcements, Apple announced major updates to parental controls and Screen Time features. Parents will be able to approve new contacts, manage app permissions more precisely and benefit from new safety features designed to respond when explicit or violent content is shared.

New screen time recommendations and scheduling tools are also intended to encourage healthier digital habits for children.

Software updates arriving later this year across Apple’s operating systems will also introduce a range of performance improvements.

Apple said app launches on iPhone and iPad are up to 30% faster, newly captured photos load up to 70% faster, and AirDrop transfers can be up to 80% quicker. Search functions across Spotlight, Photos, and Mail have also been redesigned to improve speed and accuracy.

Additional features include enhanced health tracking, expanded AirPods personalisation, improved Apple Watch functionality, cross-platform photo sharing through iCloud Shared Albums, and AI-powered upgrades to Apple Maps and Apple Vision Pro.

Public beta testing begins next month, with the full software release scheduled for autumn. Apple noted that some Apple Intelligence features will vary by device, language, and region, with regulatory requirements affecting availability in certain markets, including China and parts of the European Union.

Why does it matter?

Apple’s latest updates reflect a broader industry shift, especially towards embedding child safety and digital well-being features directly into operating systems, as governments and regulators worldwide increase scrutiny of how technology platforms protect young users online.

Enhanced parental controls, communication safeguards, and screen time management tools could help set new standards for online child protection, influencing future policies and product development across the technology sector.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our chatbot!

Australia welcomes Apple child online safety tools

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has welcomed Apple’s new online safety controls for children, saying Apple CEO Tim Cook briefed him on the announcement.

According to Albanese, Cook said the changes were partly inspired by Australia’s under-16 social media age restrictions and by Apple’s continuing research into the impact of social media on children.

Albanese said Australia was proud of its work to support a safer online environment for children and argued that other countries are now developing similar social media age restrictions.

Cook invited Albanese to visit Apple during his next trip to the United States to see the technology in action. Albanese said he intended to accept the invitation as Australia continues to consider how best to protect children online.

The Prime Minister said Australian parents had led the push for stronger protections and that the government was backing their efforts. He said more than 5 million under-16 accounts had already been removed, deactivated, or restricted.

Albanese said social media companies have a social responsibility and that Australia would continue holding them to account to help keep children safe.

Why does it matter?

The announcement highlights how national online safety rules can shape platform design beyond a country’s borders. Australia’s under-16 social media restrictions have been closely watched internationally, and Albanese is presenting Apple’s new child safety tools as evidence that regulatory pressure can push major technology companies towards stronger child protection features. The case also shows the growing link between device-level controls, platform accountability, age assurance, and children’s digital rights.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

UK’s IWF backs on-device nudity detection to protect children online

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has welcomed a UK government proposal that would require technology companies to introduce on-device nudity detection and blocking features for children’s internet-connected devices used by children. The charity argues that preventing explicit images from being created or shared could significantly reduce the circulation of child sexual abuse material online.

The proposal follows growing concern over the increasing volume of so-called ‘self-generated’ child sexual abuse material, in which children are manipulated or coerced into creating explicit content.

According to IWF data, 311,610 reports containing child sexual abuse material were actioned during 2025, the highest number recorded by the organisation. Of those reports, 266,397 contained at least one self-generated image or video, underscoring the scale of the issue.

According to the IWF, children are frequently groomed, manipulated or coerced into producing sexual images that are subsequently distributed online. During 2025, analysts assessed more than 111,000 criminal images and almost 29,000 videos involving self-generated abuse material. More than 25,000 of those files were classified as Category A, the most severe category under UK law.

While supporting device-level protections, the organisation emphasised that no single intervention can address the problem on its own. It argues that effective child protection requires a combination of device safeguards, platform responsibility, law enforcement action and broader online safety policies.

Why does it matter?

The proposal reflects a growing shift towards preventative online safety measures that seek to stop harmful content from being created and shared, rather than relying solely on detection and removal after distribution.

The debate also highlights increasing concern about self-generated child sexual abuse material, which has become one of the fastest-growing categories of online abuse. If implemented effectively, device-level safeguards could become an important component of broader child protection strategies that also include platform responsibility, education initiatives and law enforcement action.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

New York passes child protection law targeting AI companion chatbots

New York State has approved legislation aimed at strengthening protections for minors interacting with AI chatbots, marking one of the first targeted regulatory efforts focused on AI companion technologies. The bill, known as S9051B, introduces restrictions on chatbot features that may encourage harmful emotional dependence or unsafe behaviour among young users.

The law prohibits AI systems from presenting themselves as real or fictional human beings in ways that could mislead minors and restricts outputs that encourage self-harm, disordered eating or other harmful behaviour. The legislation specifically targets design features that may foster emotional dependency between children and AI systems, reflecting growing concerns over their potential psychological effects.

Sponsored by Senator Kristen Gonzalez and Assemblymember Alex Bores, the legislation was developed in consultation with New York Attorney General Letitia James and child safety organisations, including Common Sense Media. Supporters of the bill argue that rapid advances in AI have outpaced existing safeguards, leaving young users vulnerable to emerging risks.

Supporters say the measure is part of a wider push for responsible AI governance in New York, focusing on transparency, accountability, and consumer protection. Advocacy groups involved in developing the legislation have pointed to real-world cases as evidence of the need for stronger oversight of emotionally interactive AI systems.

Why does it matter?

AI companion applications are becoming increasingly sophisticated and capable of sustaining long-term, emotionally engaging interactions with users. While these systems may provide entertainment, companionship or support, concerns have emerged about their potential influence on children and other vulnerable users.

By focusing on chatbot design features rather than solely on content moderation, New York’s legislation introduces a new approach to AI governance that could influence future regulatory efforts in the United States and beyond. The law also reflects growing attention to the psychological and social impacts of generative AI systems.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our chatbot!  

Spain calls for United Nations Action on children’s digital rights

Spain has proposed the creation of a permanent multilateral working group within the UN to strengthen the regulation of digital environments and improve protections for children online.

The proposal was presented by Minister of Youth and Childhood, Sira Rego, during a ministerial roundtable at the Global Alliance of Pioneer Countries to End Violence Against Children in Turin.

According to Rego, stronger international cooperation is needed to regulate digital environments and protect children’s rights in response to abuses by major technology platforms. She said protecting children online requires regulations, rules, and control mechanisms that safeguard their rights and freedoms.

The proposal builds on earlier Ibero-American ministerial discussions on youth and childhood, during which countries agreed to establish an Ibero-American Observatory for the Well-being of Children, with a focus on protecting minors in digital environments. Spain is now proposing a similar approach within the UN framework.

A central element of Spain’s position is algorithmic transparency. Rego said algorithms are not neutral systems and can affect children’s ability to exercise their rights. She argued that such systems should be auditable and subject to democratic oversight by public authorities.

Alongside regulatory measures, Spain is advancing a National Strategy for Digital Environments to improve digital literacy among children, adolescents, and families. The strategy will combine education, pedagogical tools, and content creation to help protect children’s rights in digital spaces.

Why does it matter?

Spain’s proposal reflects growing pressure for international coordination on children’s digital rights. National rules alone often struggle to address platforms that operate across borders and use algorithmic systems that shape what children see, how they interact, and how their data is used. A UN-level working group could provide child online safety with a more permanent multilateral forum, especially on platform accountability and algorithmic transparency.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!  

UNICEF warns of AI risks to child online safety

UNICEF Vietnam has warned that rapid advances in AI are creating new risks for child online safety, including AI-generated child sexual abuse material and deepfakes.

The UNICEF Vietnam Representative, Silvia Danailov, issued a warning to mark International Children’s Day and Vietnam’s Month of Action for Children, which is held under the theme ‘Happy, safe and confident children in the digital world.’

Danailov said digital technologies can help children learn, connect, and develop future skills, but also create new forms of harm. She warned that generative AI can now be used to create highly realistic sexual images or videos of children without their knowledge or consent.

UNICEF, ECPAT, and INTERPOL research across 11 countries found that at least 1.2 million children reported that their images had been manipulated into sexually explicit deepfakes in the past year. Danailov said such harms can have lasting effects, even when images are digitally created, because children experience fear, shame, and loss of trust.

Nearly nine in ten children aged 12 to 17 in Vietnam are online, with many spending five to seven hours a day on the internet. Danailov said AI-driven risks add a new layer to existing challenges, such as cyberbullying and online exploitation, while also exposing inequalities between children who are supported online and those who are not.

Vietnam has strengthened its legal and policy framework, including a new government decree effective from 16 May 2026 that reinforces children’s right to privacy by prohibiting the disclosure of a child’s personal information without the child’s consent, when aged seven or older, and with the consent of their parents or caregivers.

The country has also approved the National Programme on Child Online Protection and Support for Development for 2026–2030, aimed at protecting children and empowering them as confident digital citizens through stronger legal frameworks, improved systems, education, and coordinated action.

UNICEF called for laws and enforcement to keep pace with technology, stronger child protection systems, safer platform design by technology companies, and better support for schools and families. Danailov also stressed that children must be heard and involved in creating safer digital environments.

Why does it matter?

The warning shows how generative AI is changing the landscape of child online safety. Children can now be harmed even without direct interaction with an offender, including through manipulated images and deepfake abuse. That makes child protection harder for families, schools, platforms, and regulators, and increases the need for safety-by-design, stronger reporting systems, legal safeguards, and trusted support channels for children.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

UNESCO launches online child safety training

UNESCO and India’s National Council of Educational Research and Training have launched a national training programme to help teachers, educators, and education professionals identify, prevent, and respond to online violence affecting children.

The five-day programme is delivered live from 1 to 5 June 2026 in English, followed by a Hindi edition from 8 to 12 June. It is broadcast on NCERT’s official YouTube channel and the PM e-VIDYA platform, as well as on DTH TV Channels 6–12. Certification is available through the DIKSHA platform.

The initiative aims to strengthen teacher capacity as children spend more time on social media, gaming platforms, and online learning tools. UNESCO said India has more than one billion internet subscribers, with young people among the country’s most active digital users.

The programme covers cyberbullying, online grooming, image-based abuse, exploitation, exposure to harmful content, hate speech, and misinformation. It also addresses the impact of online violence on children’s mental health, well-being, learning outcomes, and participation in education.

Sessions bring together expertise from education, child protection, mental health, law enforcement, and digital governance. Contributors include experts from UNESCO, AIIMS, the Ministry of Home Affairs, NITI Aayog, Delhi Police, and Dublin City University.

UNESCO reported that cybercrime cases against children in India rose from 232 in 2018 to 1,823 in 2022, almost an eight-fold increase. Between 2021 and 2022 alone, reported cases increased by 32%.

The programme aligns with India’s National Education Policy 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023, both of which emphasise digital citizenship, learner safety, digital literacy, and ethical use of technology.

Why does it matter?

The training shows how child online safety is becoming part of education policy, not only cybercrime enforcement. By equipping teachers to recognise online harms and respond through referral pathways, UNESCO and NCERT are treating schools as part of the frontline response to cyberbullying, grooming, image-based abuse, misinformation, and other risks affecting children’s learning and well-being.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

Diplo chatbot can make mistakes. Consider checking important information.