Open Forum #6 Promoting tech companies to ensure children’s online safety

Summary

This open forum focused on promoting tech companies’ role in ensuring children’s online safety. The discussion brought together perspectives from various stakeholders, including UNICEF, government organizations, academia, and tech companies.

Speakers highlighted the importance of a proactive approach to child online protection, emphasizing the need for safety-by-design principles in product development. They stressed the significance of a comprehensive strategy involving multiple sectors, including government, civil society, and the private sector. The discussion underscored the global nature of online risks to children and the need for international cooperation to find effective solutions.

Key points included the need for tech companies to conduct child rights impact assessments, implement robust child protection policies, and raise awareness about online safety. Speakers emphasized the importance of balancing protection with children’s rights to access information and express themselves freely online. The role of positive parenting and digital literacy for both children and parents was also highlighted.

Examples of initiatives were shared, such as China’s efforts to regulate online content for minors and Tencent’s Minor Protection Center providing guidance to families. The potential benefits and risks of AI in children’s online experiences were also discussed, with a call for responsible innovation in this area.

The forum concluded by emphasizing three key concepts: proactive engagement from tech companies, comprehensive multi-stakeholder strategies, and the need for global solutions to ensure children’s online safety.

Keypoints

Major discussion points:

– The importance of protecting children’s safety and rights online, while balancing with other rights like access to information and freedom of expression

– The need for a multi-stakeholder approach involving government, tech companies, civil society, and others to address online child protection

– The role and responsibility of tech companies in designing safe products/services and implementing child protection measures

– Promoting digital literacy and awareness among children, parents, and society about online risks and safety

– Addressing emerging challenges from new technologies like AI while leveraging tech solutions for protection

Overall purpose:

The goal was to highlight the critical role of tech companies in safeguarding children online and fostering dialogue between different stakeholders on creating a safe digital environment for children.

Tone:

The tone was largely formal and professional, with speakers presenting information and perspectives from their respective fields. There was an underlying sense of urgency and importance placed on the topic. The tone became slightly more personal and relatable when speakers shared anecdotes or spoke from personal experience as parents.

Speakers

– Moderator: Shenrui Li, UNICEF China

– Zhao Hui: Secretary General of China Federation of Internet Society (CFIS)

– Dora Giusti: Chief of Child Protection, UNICEF China

– Afrooz Kaviani Johnson: Global Lead on Child Online Protection, UNICEF

– Dandan Zhong: Secretary of Party Committee, School of Information and Communication Engineering, Communication University of China

– Li Yi: Founder of APE Programming

Additional speakers:

– Sally Hsakli: Former cultural counselor at the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in China, professor at the history department of Imam University

– Liang Lingling: Family education specialist, Tencent Minor Protection Center

Expanded Summary of the Open Forum on Promoting Tech Companies’ Role in Ensuring Children’s Online Safety

Introduction

This open forum, facilitated by UNICEF China, brought together diverse stakeholders to discuss the critical role of technology companies in safeguarding children’s online safety. The discussion featured perspectives from government organizations, academia, tech companies, and international organizations, highlighting the need for a comprehensive and collaborative approach to address this global challenge.

Key Themes and Discussion Points

1. UNICEF’s Global Approach to Child Online Protection

Afrooz Kaviani Johnson, Global Lead on Child Online Protection at UNICEF, presented UNICEF’s global approach, emphasizing four key priority areas:

a) Policy and governance

b) Safe and empowering digital environments

c) Children’s digital literacy and resilience

d) Data and evidence

Johnson stressed the importance of recognizing children’s interconnected rights in the digital environment, as outlined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and General Comment No. 25. She highlighted the need for companies to conduct child rights impact assessments and implement “safety by design” principles in product development.

2. China’s Efforts in Promoting Child Online Safety

Zhao Hui, Secretary General of China Federation of Internet Society (CFIS), detailed their work in four main areas:

a) Research on children’s online safety needs

b) Development of industry standards and guidelines

c) Promotion of public awareness

d) International cooperation

Zhao emphasized the importance of engaging multiple sectors, including government, tech companies, and civil society. He also mentioned CFIS’s collaboration with UNICEF on research regarding children’s online safety needs in China.

3. Specific Online Risks and Challenges

Dora Giusti, Chief of Child Protection at UNICEF China, highlighted specific online risks faced by children, including sexual abuse, cyberbullying, economic exploitation, and exposure to harmful content. She emphasized the need for comprehensive protection strategies.

Dandan Zhong from the Communication University of China discussed challenges faced in China regarding children’s internet use, including the potential risks and benefits of AI-driven applications in enhancing child safety.

4. Tech Companies’ Initiatives

Liang Lingling presented Tencent’s Minor Protection Center, which focuses on:

a) Implementing minor protection features across products

b) Conducting research on online risks

c) Promoting digital literacy

d) Collaborating with stakeholders to create a safer online environment

Li Yi, founder of APE Programming, discussed their work in teaching coding to children using a four-in-one training model. He emphasized the importance of incorporating AI into education while simultaneously teaching critical thinking skills to children.

5. Multi-stakeholder Collaboration

Speakers unanimously agreed on the necessity of a multi-stakeholder approach to effectively address online child protection. This includes collaboration between government bodies, tech companies, civil society organizations, and academic institutions.

Johnson mentioned the global digital compact as an opportunity for stakeholders to come together and address child online safety on a global scale.

6. Balancing Protection with Children’s Rights and Agency

The discussion emphasized the need to balance child protection with respecting children’s rights and agency in the digital world. Speakers stressed the importance of age-appropriate protection measures, promoting digital literacy for both children and parents, and empowering children to understand and use technology responsibly.

Key Takeaways and Action Items

1. Technology companies must play a proactive role in protecting children online by implementing safety by design principles, conducting child rights impact assessments, and developing AI applications with child safety in mind.

2. A multi-stakeholder, collaborative approach involving government, tech companies, civil society, and academia is essential for addressing child online safety effectively.

3. There needs to be a balance between protecting children online and respecting their rights, agency, and developmental needs.

4. Promoting digital literacy for both children and parents is crucial for ensuring online safety.

5. Ongoing research and data collection on children’s online behaviors, risks, and needs are necessary to inform policy and product development.

6. International cooperation and knowledge sharing are vital in addressing the global nature of online risks to children.

The forum concluded with a commitment to continued collaboration between stakeholders to promote safe digital environments for children, integrate child rights principles into product design processes, and conduct further research to inform policy and practice in the field of child online safety.

Moderator: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . So, first, please allow me to introduce or distinguish the guests and the speakers. Ms. Zhao Hui, from the China Federation of Internet Society, and also our Dora, the Chief of Child Protection of UNICEF China. And also we are delighted to have our global lead on child online protection, which is Ms. Afro, who is joining us online and later will share her insight on our UNICEF strategy on child online protection. And myself is Li Xunrui. I’m from UNICEF China. As a child protection officer, I’m glad to facilitate this session. So now, shall we start? We will start by the Secretary General of CFS, Ms. Zhao Hui, will give us a presentation on CFS work in China. The floor is yours, Ms. Zhao Hui, please.

Zhao Hui: Good afternoon. I’m delighted for the forum on promoting tech companies to ensure child life safety. On behalf of the China Federation of Internet Societies, I’d like to extend warm congratulations and welcome to our distinguished guests. The China Federation of Internet Societies started in May 2018. We are honored to hold a consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Currently, we have 524 members, including major Internet corporations like Tencent, Baidu and Douyin. China is one of the largest Internet markets in the world. with almost 1.1 billion users, including 196 million minors. As new technologies like AI and big data take off, the Chinese government is focusing on protecting children online. Chinese President Xi Jinping has emphasized the importance of creating a clean and positive online environment, especially for young users. Since China joined the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the government has been working to protect children online through laws, enforcement, courts, and education.

Moderator: Notably, Cyberspace Administration of China has introduced the regulations to protect minors in cyberspace. Special actions are carried out to improve the online environment for minors during the summer months. Companies are doing their part, and other groups like schools and media outlets are involved too. This has created a strong atmosphere in societies. There is growing concern about efforts to protect children online. In keeping with the theme of this forum, I’d like to share four main areas of action. First, setting up a specialized institution. In 2022, we set up a special committee with China Song Qinglin Foundation, Tencent, and 39 other organizations to protect children online. The committee has encouraged people to get involved. in protecting children online. We host conferences, offer online courses, set industry standards, recognize practices. Second, public welfare actions. We launched the AdSprout program, a public welfare initiative to improve online safety for children. We run in Xinjiang, Shandong, Guangdong, and Shaanxi. We also made online safety guide to schools in 12 cities. Third, research and reports. We worked with UNICEF to research children’s online safety. Visiting 12 counties in four provinces, the findings were put together in a report called Children’s Online Safety Needs Research. We released the report on the protection of minors in cyberspace 2024, which reviewed China’s progress in areas such as legislation and platform practices. Fourth, international collaboration and exchanges. We have hosted events on children’s online protection at international such as the IGF, the UN Human Rights Council, and the World Internet Conference. This event has helped raise global awareness on this issue. In 2024, CFII and UNICEF launched the responsible innovation in technology for children’s collection. Outstanding cases will be recommended to the UNICEF Global Case Database, contributing

Zhao Hui: China’s experiences to the technological innovation efforts of Internet companies worldwide. Ladies and gentlemen, children are our future, and it is a social responsibility to use technology for good. Let us join hands to improve children’s digital literacy online, and we can create a secure and healthy online environment for everyone.

Moderator: Thank you, Zhaohui. Mr. Zhao summarized how CFII as a network, as a civil organization, could unite efforts from society, from the Internet companies, and from the government, and demonstrate how China’s approach to strengthen the safeguarding of children’s online. And also, Mr. Zhao mentioned that CFII has a good and fruitful relationship with UNICEF China. So now we invite Dora Drusty, the Chief of Child Protection of UNICEF China country office, to give us opening remarks. Dora, please. Good afternoon. I think this mic goes on. Good afternoon. I hope you can hear me. Distinguished panelists, thank you for joining us today.

Dora Giusti: Thank you to the audience. So today we are hosting this open forum to highlight the critical role that technological companies play in the development of children’s digital literacy. So I would like to start by thanking all of you for being here. play in safeguarding children in the digital environment and the purpose is really to foster dialogue and collaboration among different stakeholders represented here, so tech companies, policy makers, researchers and practitioners on creating a safe digital environment. A child goes online for the first time every half second and in China, as Ms. Zhao mentioned, there are 196 million children online with an internet penetration rate of 97%. The internet provides great opportunities for children to learn, to stay connected, but the internet was not created for children, so there are potential risks and harms that have been identified and that are on the rise and with diversified patterns that are happening across the world. Some of these risks and harms include misuse of data and economic exploitation, cyber bullying and harassment, and more severely sexual abuse and exploitation online, and the use of AI and extended reality also offer an opportunity, but they have also exacerbated these risks as perpetrators can potentially use this reality to take advantage of children. So my colleague Bruce will speak in a moment about UNICEF’s global approach, but I just want to highlight that UNICEF supports a multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder approach to the issue of digital safety with emphasis on policies and laws, on protection services when children require support, management of responsibility of tech companies, and also preventive efforts. So UNICEF China has been working with China Federation of Internet Societies since 2019 to promote the safe digital environment and also with the Communication University of China that is the other host in this event and UNICEF China is committed to responsible business practices in the digital environment. So at the moment, as Ms. Zhao mentioned, we’re working on a sort of action-oriented research to foster dialogue and exchange among companies and among their experience in safety by design practices. So how companies are integrated child rights principles and safety principles in their products and services. And this is a process, so it’s not pure documentation, it’s really a process that involves dialogue and sharing so that it can strengthen the processes and products of these companies but also guide other companies in building safe products. We’ve also worked on AI and child rights. Together we worked on an AI standard for children based on the UNICEF policy guidance on AI for children as well on also identifying positive and missing practices in Chinese companies. UNICEF China has also promoted unprecedented research on behaviors and risks and needs of children which will be published soon and hopefully will inform companies and policymakers. We also work with other partners on strengthening child protection systems and services with the welfare sector and also with the justice sector. So I just want to highlight the role of the tech sector in responsible innovation. And the role is key, critical in shaping a safe digital environment. So first of all. It is key that there is a balance between technological innovation and the responsibility to protect children. And this means that companies can introduce child rights principles and produce products that are designed and aligned with safety by design. So they also need to undertake impact assessment, identify risks and align their products using a safety by design framework. Also companies should fight tech with tech. So if there are dangers and risks in the products and services and platforms, they can use AI and tech to make sure that these products are safe, but also that these platforms or contents are removed. They can implement mechanisms to take down these harmful contents and also report to the authorities and also use AI to make sure that children are reached out and get some counselling or support as they require. Then they have a preventive role to raise awareness of children among parents, among educators of potential risk and how to navigate safely. And finally, I mean, make child protection as a key priority. So at the moment what happens across the world, often in companies, is that it’s delegated to different areas, but this should be a key priority of all tech companies and it should be a high level priority mainstreamed across the different areas. And obviously the role of the tech sector that we’re discussing here today is fundamental, but for success we also need to remember, and I go back to my earlier point, that we need a comprehensive strategy engaging multiple stakeholders, as I mentioned, with laws that regulate the tech companies, but also… with preventive efforts that are systemic, for example, in school, with protection services that can respond to the needs of children. And also, we should remember that safety online is a global challenge, and for a global challenge, we need global solutions. So international cooperation, finding solutions together, is a must. And with this spirit that today we’re here, bringing together different stakeholders to share different perspectives, to share the challenges and the solution. So I hope this forum will provide some of these insightful discussions that will lead to some concrete recommendations, and that we can join hands to ensure these global solutions are found to ensure children are safe online. Thank you. Okay, thank you, Dora. Thank you, Dora, for sharing the diverse and promoting way of UNICEF China engaging with Chinese government and the civil society, exploring opportunities and highlighting the tech companies’ role in safeguarding children’s online safety.

Moderator: Thank you, Dora. And then we will shift to the global perspective, and I would like to invite our colleague, Afru, who is joining us online, to share UNICEF’s view on how child online protection could be further strengthened and the role of technology companies in this important issue and topic. Please, Afru, the floor is yours.

Afrooz Kaviani Johnson: Thank you so much. Thank you so much for the invitation. It’s a pleasure to join you, albeit remotely. May I confirm that you can see my slides?

Moderator: Just a second, Afrooz, we are cutting.

Afrooz Kaviani Johnson: I’m sharing my screen. I am sharing my screen. Can you see it or is it better to manage it from there?

Moderator: Just spare us with 5 seconds.

Afrooz Kaviani Johnson: No worries.

Moderator: Our colleague is still solving a technical problem and they try to start sharing from our end. Please kindly wait for us.

Afrooz Kaviani Johnson: No problem. In the interest of time, I can start speaking while they set it up. Does that work for you?

Moderator: Of course. Of course, please.

Afrooz Kaviani Johnson: Okay. Thank you so much. So, I think the scene has already been set by the opening remarks with respect to the incredible opportunities that the digital environment provides for children and the need to address the risks. So, this is really the critical question, how we can maximise the benefits of digital technology for children while mitigating the risks of harm. And one of UNICEF’s global strategic goals is to protect every child from all forms of violence and exploitation. And in today’s age, this includes forms of violence and exploitation that are enabled or facilitated by digital technologies. And in order to design effective prevention and response strategies, we have to be specific about the risks that we’re talking about. And at global level, we have identified four key priority areas. The first is to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation facilitated by digital technologies. The second is to protect children from bullying, harassment and other forms of violence online. The third is to protect children from economic exploitation and misuse of their personal data and the fourth to protect them from harmful content online. So UNICEF’s work globally is guided and shaped by the principles in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and General Comment No. 25 by the Convention’s treaty body. And these principles really ensure a balanced and rights-based approach. Perhaps I can check in there to see if you’re able to see my screen or not yet. Yes, we are able to see your screen but it’s quite small. It’s a technical issue from our end but please continue. I think, yeah, you can change the slide, please. Okay, so you can see or some people can see a slide that says guiding principles. Anyway, I will not take up time with talking about the technical issues but let me just talk through some of these key principles that guide our work in this area and that should also guide the work of technology companies. So the first is really understanding that children’s rights are interconnected, they’re interrelated, they’re indivisible. So this means that efforts to protect children online necessarily intersect with their other rights in the Convention on the Rights of the Child such as their access to information, their freedom of expression, their freedom of association, privacy and education. So while measures to protect children and to, you know, realise their rights to protection are critical, they cannot arbitrarily limit other rights. The second key principle to highlight is that we need to recognise and support children’s agency and resilience. So this includes giving weight to what children think and seeking their views when we’re considering policy design as well as technology design and implementation. The third point is to recognise that children are not a homogenous group. When we talk about children, we’re talking about everyone under the age of 18, which is a very broad range of children, but there are also children who face particular risks in the digital environment, for example, children with disabilities. So steps are necessary to make the digital environment safe, but also counter any biases that may lead to overprotection or exclusion of certain groups of children. The fourth key principle is the need to consider risks and opportunities that shift with children’s age and developmental stage. So like I mentioned, you know, when we look at this age range up until the age of 18, the needs and considerations for protecting a two-year-old are very different, for example, than protecting a 10-year-old versus protecting a 17-year-old. And then the other point here is that risks and solutions need to go beyond, you know, this artificial distinction between online and offline. And finally, the point is that we need to underpin all our interventions by using the most up-to-date and robust data, research, monitoring and evaluation that are accessible. So in summary, when we’re thinking about these guiding principles, we must recall that protecting children in digital spaces requires thoughtful, inclusive and evidence-based strategies. Now, the evolution of digital technologies has uppaced many countries’ legislative and regulatory frameworks, as well as educative and support services that are required to keep children safe. So as was mentioned by the previous speakers, you know, catching up really requires a collaborative and cross-sectoral approach. It calls for an expanding community of people and sectors committed to protecting children. And we can only achieve this by leveraging skills and capabilities across different sectors. including digitalization, criminal justice, social services, education, health, civil society, and the private sector. And of course, the focus of this session, you know, the private sector, we know that the private sector plays a pivotal role in shaping children’s digital experiences. The digital environment is highly commercialized. When we’re talking about businesses in this space, it’s ranging from social platforms and search engines to mobile operators to e-retail services and data brokers. And all of these playing a really important and influential role in the design and deployment of digital tools and experiences that impact children’s rights both directly and indirectly. And with this influence obviously comes both an opportunity and a responsibility to respect children’s rights and ensure their safety online. And importantly, this responsibility is not limited to companies whose primary audience is children. It extends to all of those whose products or services may impact children. And the responsibility also extends beyond just the big tech giants, which we often think of when we’re thinking about this topic. But rather, companies of all sizes and across all sectors are increasingly adopting digital technologies in ways that pose potential actual risks to children. So, all companies, regardless of their size or sector, have a responsibility to respect children’s rights and to enable the remediation of any adverse child rights impacts that they cause or contribute to. And this responsibility is laid out in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the Child Rights and Business Principles. And every company has a different level of influence and potential to affect children’s rights. Conducting child rights impact assessments can allow companies to identify specific risks and challenges and help shift from the reactive approaches that we’ve often seen to more proactive, preventative measures. The Committee on the Rights of the Child really emphasises corporate accountability. They state that states should require businesses to undertake child rights due diligence and in particular to carry out child rights impact assessments in order to prevent and address any risks to children. And UNICEF, we’ve heard about the experience in China, but globally we’ve collaborated with companies and stakeholders to develop practical tools for child rights impact assessments and due diligence, as well as other influences in the business ecosystem, spanning investors, standard setters and industry associations to drive action. We’ve also provided policy guidance. Some of this was mentioned in the first opening remarks, for example on AI, also on data governance. And these resources are really designed to help companies understand their impact and take action to respect children’s rights. We also engage with companies through multi-sectoral alliances, such as the We Protect Global Alliance, which brings together governments, companies, civil society and international organisations to tackle the specific issue of online child sexual abuse and exploitation. Across these efforts, let me emphasise that UNICEF does not endorse any company, brand, product or service, rather all our efforts are guided by the goal of improving outcomes for children at scale. So this includes by building an open knowledge base of practical guidance on responsible business conduct in relation to child rights in the digital age. To drive positive change, UNICEF has developed recommendations addressing those four priority areas that I mentioned at the beginning. These include actions relating to strengthening systems and services, engaging companies, policy advocacy, legal reform, community action and research. I’m not sure if you’re yet seeing my screen. If you are, you’ll see that there’s a QR code, which you can scan to read more from our policy brief. In closing, I really want to emphasise that it is a unique opportunity at this moment for us to anticipate and address potential risks to children when we’re thinking about technology design and governance. It was just a couple of months ago that member states agreed, you know, this new global digital compact and it really gives us an opportunity to reinforce the commitment to children’s rights in the digital age. And this environment that we want to create needs to ensure accountability, but at the same time, it needs to be encouraging of companies to actively identify problems and persist in finding solutions. And this means collaborating across different sectors, engaging with children, young people, experts and researchers, and maintaining open dialogue about successes and challenges. By sharing these insights and learning, I’m very optimistic that we can achieve meaningful change. Thank you. Thank you.

Moderator: Thank you a lot, Afro. And thank you for introducing the UNICEF position on safeguarding child online protection and also the guiding principles. And I would like to highlight again the last two words you introduced as proactive as a way of interpreting responsibility of the ICT companies and also at scale, I believe it’s embedded in the gene of ICT companies. So thank you, Afro, again for joining us and deliver this insightful sharing speech. And next, I would like to invite Dr. Sally Hsakli, the former cultural counselor at the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in China, and the professor at the history department of Imam University. The floor is yours, doctor, please.

Speaker 1: Thank you, Dr. Hsakli, and ladies and gentlemen. and following the difficulties for children online safety. I am honored to share with the CFIS, alongside with UNICEF China and Communication University of China. Thank you for all of you. Today we gather to address a recent concern ensuring tech companies prioritize the children online will be. Our discussion will revolve around three perfect aspects. They call it online, children online and I like in future parents even with the children even parents online they need companies to with that not just the children they need protect even the parent or the old people they need prefer. Ensuring safe technology and for education firstly tech companies must design innovation, protects and services that prioritize children’s safety and privacy. That involves consideration considering the children and needs and riot during the development process. We are we argue companies and adopt child country appropriated interdiction safety future and parental control into the products. By doing so we can make we can might risk. and to create a safe online environment. Effect policies and measures. Secondly, tech companies must establish and implement robust policies and child online protection. This includes developing clear guidelines the delegating terms and overseas protection effort and utilising technical and manual review process. We encourage collaboration between companies and government and organisations to share best practice and drive collective progress. Lastly, rising awareness about child online protection is critical. Tech companies must assume responsibility for promoting safety through education and publicity initiatives. We advocate for increased public engagement encouraging individuals to participate in shaping a safer online ecosystem. Together we can foster future culture and responsibility. In conclusion, our collective efforts can be significant impact to children online safety. We urge each companies to advertise an invitation safety solution, implement effective policies and promote awareness. Let us unite to build a digital future where children and adults can thrive free from harm. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you a lot. Sorry, I can’t see. I lost. I forgot my eyes, my glasses.

Moderator: My glasses and I can’t read. Thank you. No problem. Thank you. Thank you, doctor. I think the doctor highlighted that at the very beginning stage, at the design stage, the ICT companies should consider the safety by design and the child rights when they develop products and platforms and also agreements think alike that it’s very important to have industrial regulation on the guidance, which is the CFRS and you have China and also a lot of ICT partners we are devoting into this progress. And the next I would like to invite Mr. Zhong Dandan, the Secretary of Party Committee, School of Information and Communication Engineering of the Communication University of China. Please, the floor is yours.

Dandan Zhong: Thank you, respected Secretary General of CFRS, Ms. Zhao Hui, Chief Child Protection University of China, Ms. Dora, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. It’s my great honor to participate in the 2024 IGF Open Forum on promoting tech companies to ensure children’s online safety. My name is Dandan Zhong, the Director of International Office at Communication University of China. In this era of digital intelligence, we are fortunate to gather here to discuss a highly relevant and urgent topic of children’s online safety. Communication University of China was founded in 1954, and this year marks our 70th anniversary. So we are regarded as a cradle of talents for China’s media and industry, for broadcasting and television, as well as we know, in the University for the Education of Information Communication. With the rapid development of the Internet, the wave of information networking has swept across the globe. As of June 2024, the number of Internet users in China has reached nearly 1.1 billion, an increase of 7.42 million compared to December 2023, with an Internet penetration rate of 78%. The number of underage Internet users in China continues to grow, exceeding 193 million, and the Internet penetration rate among minors has risen to 97.2%. The wide spread of availability of the Internet has led to an increasing number of scenarios where children can access and use emerging technologies. The importance of Internet-related scientific and technological advancement in the lives of children is becoming increasingly evident, presenting various opportunities for their growth while also bringing numerous challenges. How Internet companies can fulfill their social responsibilities through technological innovation and better serve the vast underage user space has become one of the focal points of social concern. CUC has always placed high emphasis on the construction of disciplines related to emerging technologies. and cybersecurity, actively promoting the integration of technological progress and social responsibilities and has a strong academic foundation in the field of intelligent media networks, encourage internet companies to, it’s right? No voice, okay. In responsible technological innovation, CEC scientific research team has participated in the response to technological innovation for children project initiated by the China Internet Development Foundation together with the foundation and the UNICEF. They have conducted a collection of typical corporate case studies to gain a deeper understanding of the practices of internet companies in responsible technological innovation against the backdrop of China’s strong emphasis on the online protection of children. This initiative aims to on earth corporate examples that actively fulfill social responsibilities in the field of internet technology innovation, providing safer, healthier and more beneficial products and services for children by sharing successful experience. It further stimulates the innovation awareness and a sense of responsibility across a society. Unlike traditional internet application, AI driven internet application incorporate intelligent technologies such as machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing and analogy graphs. The use of this technologies helps provide greater benefits for children such as using motor, motoring quality content recommendations and a company shape for special groups. However, this emerging intelligent technologies also pose many risks to children, including unfairness, data privacy concerns and internet addiction. Therefore, internet companies should deepen communication, enhance consensus and strengthen cooperation with stakeholders such as government departments, research institutions and social organizations. This collaborative efforts aims to find global guidelines and the rules for protecting children. The collaborative efforts aims to find a global guideline and the rules for protecting children online safety, thereby promoting the healthy development of emerging technologies and better benefit people around the world. Here, I call upon all the esteemed guests to join us in our efforts to ensure that internet applications bring greater benefits to the most vulnerable and deserving children. We must take effective measures to minimize risks as much as possible. Through this open forum, I hope we can reach a consensus on children’s online safety and actively promote global technology companies to ensure the safety of children online. And thank you for your attention.

Moderator: Thank you. Thank you a lot, Ms. Zhong, for bringing our voice from the academia. And in Zhong’s sharing, she also mentioned that the importance of our proactive action to prepare the emerging technologies, for example, the AI-driven internet applications. And that’s also an important reason why we also bring the voices from the ICT companies to join this open forum. And for next two speakers, they will come from the ICT industry. For next, let’s welcome Liang Lingling from the Tencent Matter Protection Camps, family education specialist. Please, the floor is yours.

Speaker 2: Okay, thank you. Distinguished leaders, honorable guests, ladies and gentlemen, it’s an honor to participate in this workshop and deliberate on building our multi-stakeholder digital future. Today, I would like to present on the topic of heritage in the digital age, cultivating responsible online behavior. In the context of globalisation, conflicts regarding mobile phone usage time between parents and children have become prevalent. In China, due to parents’ prolonged working hours, children’s academic stress, and a scarcity of peer playmates, children are increasingly inclined to use online entertainment as their main form of entertainment. Confronted with this challenge, China has implemented a stringent weekly time limit of three hours for…next slide, please. Confronted with this challenge, China has implemented a stringent weekly time limit of three hours for handheld games, accompanied by anti-divergification and purchase restrictions. Tencent, as an internet enterprise, not only complies with these regulations, but also takes the initiative to provide parental guidance and consulting services for the public good. The Tencent Customer Service Manor Protection Centre represents a crucial step in this regard. Since 2017, our centre has expanded from a team of 20 to a professional team of 500. A national hotline has been established to assist manors in their utilisation of digital products. To date, it has served over 36 million domestic users. thereby augmenting internet literacy, safety awareness, family education, and online mental health. Next, please. We have assembled a team of educational psychology counselors, offering complimentary one-on-one online homeschooling counseling services to benefit a larger number of parents in the digital age. A public service homeschooling AI model has been launched furnishing families with personalized educational counsel and solutions. Next, please. We have mobilized 280,000 volunteers across the nation to engage in the work of safeguarding manners on the internet. On the 39th International Volunteer Day, we recognize the outstanding family education volunteers and outstanding volunteer service teams of the year 2024. Ms. Dora Justine, okay, she’s here today. How lucky. Director of the Child Protection Division of the UNICEF office in China was invited to address the event, during which she stated that positive parenting is an efficacious strategy for promoting family harmony, child wellbeing, and child protection. We advocate for this concept. Research indicates that parents’ digital literacy can influence children’s perspectives on online activities. When parents serve as exemplary models in terms of internet usage, and possess the ability to discern online information, children are more likely to perceive the internet as a tool for learning and personal development. Through patient guidance and effective communication, parents and children can reach a consensus on the appropriate purpose and duration of Internet use, thereby guiding children to utilize the Internet purposefully and responsibly. I would like to share a case. There was a 16-year-old boy whose father initially failed to comprehend his gaming activities. Subsequently, upon realizing that their child was engaged in gaming due to a profound interest in tanks, the father purchased a model tank and accompanied the child to visit several military museums. Currently, their child is studying tank design at university. This exemplifies that with the presence of supportive systems for children’s responsible online behaviors, they can achieve remarkable feats. In China, we collaborate with local governments, academic institutions, and social organizations for the common good, with a focus on the well-being of minors. Looking ahead, we will continue to make contributions to the development of youth in the digital age. Thank you.

Moderator: Thank you. Thank you a lot, Ms. Liang, for introducing the practices and the promising experience from the Minor Protection Center that gave us an example of how to hear the voice from children and also highlight the importance of parenting skills, which is also a focus area of UNICEF China’s work in China. We highlight a lot of positive parenting and also the digital literacy, not only for children but also for the community, for the family. Thank you again, Ms. Liang. And next, I would like to invite Mr. Li Yi, the founder of APE Programming, to introduce his work. Thank you. Thank you. Please, the floor is yours.

Li Yi: Thank you. Hello, everyone. I’m honored to be with you today at IGF 2024. I was fortunate to have grown up during the internet era. And at that time, I was a programmer. For me, programming weren’t just a way to make a living. It taught me valuable skills like logical thinking, creativity, and problem solving. I realized how beneficial these skills could be for a young mind in the long term. And that’s why my team and I founded YBC seven years ago. Today, we have trained over 5 million students in coding. We foster children’s development through four key aspects, which I refer to as the four-in-one training model. One language, which is programming language. One way of thinking, which is computational thinking. One ability, which is innovation ability. And one perspective, which has a view of the future. Our products are designed with children’s safety in mind from the very start. Each product undergoes testing multiple times before launch to ensure there’s no harmful content. We also consider the different stage of student development to ensure our products are friendly and safe for kids of all ages. Besides being a programmer and an educator, I’m also a father of three. Unlike me, today’s children are growing up in the age of AI. Whether we like it or not, we are all witnessing the dawn of AI. And it will profoundly influence and shape our kids’ lives. As a company that cares about child safety, child safety, we recognize the potential benefits and the threat posed by AI. As an educator and a father, I constantly think about how AI will impact education and how children can grow up well in the new era. AI can absorb knowledge and information so efficiently and widely, much more than a single person could ever learn. This makes AI a fantastic assistant in helping children gain knowledge. We have already begun to incorporate AI into education, helping kids understand what AI is, how it works, and how to use it more effectively. However, AI is not all-powerful. Currently, AI still makes mistakes, and humans need to identify the results generated by AI and make the final decisions. We hope that, through our efforts, children can approach AI more wisely, rather than simply trusting or rejecting it. AI also presents certain threats. We want the children to be aware of this danger so that, when they encounter AI-based schemes, such as a deepfake, they can recognize them and protect themselves. Our company is committed to public welfare and is dedicated to helping more children understand the future world of technology. We strive to share the wisdom behind great scientists to the next generation. It’s a challenging task, but we deeply care about the long-term benefit for children. It is commitment to their future. It’s why we are dedicated to this mission. Thank you.

Moderator: Thank you a lot, Mr. Li, sharing her insightful opinions, not only on behalf of the founder of a technology company, but also perspective from a father. Thank you again, Mr. Li. For today, we only got one hour, but I believe this open forum is successful, and I would like to conclude with three key words. The first one is proactive, as highlighted by Ms. Afro, the global leader on child online production of InDesign headquarters. The proactive is why we try to highlight the importance of promoting technology companies to participate in this important topic. And the second one is comprehensive strategy, highlighted by Dora. That’s the reason why today we invite multiple stakeholders and from diverse background, they also have diverse promoting practices experience to share their insight. And the last one is global solution, also highlighted by Dora, is the reason why we meet here and the importance of this open forum to give us a platform to discuss and exchange our promoting experience. And I would like to conclude by thank you all for participating and sharing your insight. And also please stay tuned to next year. We may meet again at the IGF 2025. Thank you all. Thank you again for attending this open forum. Bye-bye. Bye-bye. you you

Agreement Points

Multi-stakeholder collaboration for child online safety

Dora Giusti

Afrooz Kaviani Johnson

Dandan Zhong

Speaker 2

Zhao Hui

Collaborating across sectors to address emerging risks

Partnering with academic institutions for research

Working with local governments and organizations

Engaging multiple sectors including government, tech companies, and civil society

Multiple speakers emphasized the importance of collaboration between various stakeholders, including tech companies, governments, academic institutions, and civil society organizations, to effectively address child online safety issues.

Proactive measures by tech companies to ensure child safety

Dora Giusti

Afrooz Kaviani Johnson

Dandan Zhong

Li Yi

Implementing safety by design principles

Conducting child rights impact assessments

Developing AI-driven applications with child safety considerations

Incorporating AI into education while teaching critical thinking

Speakers agreed on the need for tech companies to take proactive measures in ensuring child safety, including implementing safety by design principles, conducting impact assessments, and considering child safety in AI development and education.

Similar Viewpoints

These speakers emphasized the importance of empowering children and parents with digital literacy and critical thinking skills to navigate the online world safely and responsibly.

Afrooz Kaviani Johnson

Speaker 2

Li Yi

Supporting children’s agency and resilience online

Promoting digital literacy for both children and parents

Empowering children to understand and use AI responsibly

Unexpected Consensus

Addressing mental health in relation to online safety

Speaker 2

Afrooz Kaviani Johnson

Offering mental health support for online issues

Protecting children from bullying, harassment and other forms of violence online

While mental health is not typically a primary focus in discussions about online safety, both speakers highlighted the importance of addressing psychological impacts of digital experiences on children.

Overall Assessment

Summary

The main areas of agreement included the need for multi-stakeholder collaboration, proactive measures by tech companies, empowering children and parents through digital literacy, and addressing both technical and psychological aspects of online safety.

Consensus level

There was a high level of consensus among the speakers on the fundamental approaches to child online safety. This consensus suggests a shared understanding of the complexities involved and the need for comprehensive, collaborative solutions. The implications of this consensus are positive for developing effective strategies to protect children online, as it indicates alignment among various stakeholders on key principles and approaches.

Different Viewpoints

Approach to AI integration in children’s digital experiences

Afrooz Kaviani Johnson

Li Yi

Conducting child rights impact assessments

Incorporating AI into education while teaching critical thinking

While both speakers acknowledge the importance of addressing AI’s impact on children, they differ in their approaches. Johnson emphasizes the need for child rights impact assessments, while Li focuses on integrating AI into education and teaching critical thinking skills.

Unexpected Differences

Overall Assessment

summary

The main areas of disagreement revolve around the specific approaches to protecting children online and integrating new technologies like AI into their digital experiences.

difference_level

The level of disagreement among the speakers is relatively low. Most speakers share common goals but propose different strategies or emphasize different aspects of child online safety. This suggests a multifaceted approach may be necessary to address the complex issue of children’s online safety effectively.

Partial Agreements

All speakers agree on the importance of protecting children online, but they propose different methods. Giusti emphasizes safety by design, Johnson focuses on recognizing interconnected rights, and Li advocates for empowering children to use AI responsibly.

Dora Giusti

Afrooz Kaviani Johnson

Li Yi

Implementing safety by design principles

Recognizing children’s interconnected rights in the digital environment

Empowering children to understand and use AI responsibly

Similar Viewpoints

These speakers emphasized the importance of empowering children and parents with digital literacy and critical thinking skills to navigate the online world safely and responsibly.

Afrooz Kaviani Johnson

Speaker 2

Li Yi

Supporting children’s agency and resilience online

Promoting digital literacy for both children and parents

Empowering children to understand and use AI responsibly

Key Takeaways

Technology companies play a critical role in protecting children online and need to implement safety by design principles, conduct child rights impact assessments, and develop AI applications with child safety in mind.

A multi-stakeholder, collaborative approach involving government, tech companies, civil society, and academia is essential for addressing child online safety effectively.

There needs to be a balance between protecting children online and respecting their rights, agency, and developmental needs.

Specific online risks to children that need to be addressed include sexual abuse, bullying, economic exploitation, and exposure to harmful content.

Promoting digital literacy for both children and parents is crucial for ensuring online safety.

Resolutions and Action Items

UNICEF and China Federation of Internet Societies to continue collaboration on promoting safe digital environments for children

Tech companies to integrate child rights principles and safety features into product design processes

Continued research and data collection on children’s online behaviors, risks, and needs to inform policy and product development

Unresolved Issues

Specific metrics or standards for evaluating the effectiveness of child online safety measures

How to address potential conflicts between child protection measures and other digital rights like privacy or freedom of expression

Strategies for protecting children from emerging AI-related risks while still allowing them to benefit from AI technologies

Suggested Compromises

Balancing technological innovation with responsibility to protect children by implementing age-appropriate safety measures

Using AI and technology solutions to enhance online safety while also teaching children to use these technologies responsibly

A child goes online for the first time every half second and in China, as Ms. Zhao mentioned, there are 196 million children online with an internet penetration rate of 97%.

speaker

Dora Giusti

reason

This statistic powerfully illustrates the scale and urgency of the issue of child online safety, especially in China.

impact

It set the tone for the discussion by emphasizing the critical importance and timeliness of addressing online child protection.

So UNICEF’s work globally is guided and shaped by the principles in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and General Comment No. 25 by the Convention’s treaty body. And these principles really ensure a balanced and rights-based approach.

speaker

Afrooz Kaviani Johnson

reason

This comment introduces a rights-based framework for approaching child online protection, balancing safety with other rights like access to information and freedom of expression.

impact

It shifted the discussion from purely protective measures to a more holistic approach considering children’s various rights and developmental needs.

Conducting child rights impact assessments can allow companies to identify specific risks and challenges and help shift from the reactive approaches that we’ve often seen to more proactive, preventative measures.

speaker

Afrooz Kaviani Johnson

reason

This insight highlights a concrete step companies can take to improve child safety, moving from reactive to proactive approaches.

impact

It provided a specific actionable recommendation for tech companies, steering the conversation towards practical solutions.

Unlike traditional internet application, AI driven internet application incorporate intelligent technologies such as machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing and analogy graphs. The use of this technologies helps provide greater benefits for children such as using motor, motoring quality content recommendations and a company shape for special groups. However, this emerging intelligent technologies also pose many risks to children, including unfairness, data privacy concerns and internet addiction.

speaker

Dandan Zhong

reason

This comment thoughtfully explores both the potential benefits and risks of AI technologies for children, adding nuance to the discussion.

impact

It broadened the conversation to include emerging AI technologies, highlighting the need for ongoing adaptation of child protection strategies.

Whether we like it or not, we are all witnessing the dawn of AI. And it will profoundly influence and shape our kids’ lives. As a company that cares about child safety, child safety, we recognize the potential benefits and the threat posed by AI.

speaker

Li Yi

reason

This perspective from a tech company founder and parent acknowledges the inevitability of AI’s impact on children, calling for a balanced approach.

impact

It brought the discussion full circle, connecting the technical aspects of AI with real-world implications for children and families, and emphasizing the need for education about AI.

Overall Assessment

These key comments shaped the discussion by progressively broadening its scope from basic online safety concerns to a more comprehensive view of children’s rights in the digital age. They highlighted the scale of the challenge, introduced rights-based frameworks, suggested practical steps for companies, and explored the complexities of emerging AI technologies. The discussion evolved from identifying problems to proposing solutions, while consistently emphasizing the need for collaboration among various stakeholders to ensure children’s safety and rights in an increasingly digital world.

How can AI be effectively incorporated into education to help children understand and use it wisely?

speaker

Li Yi

explanation

As AI becomes more prevalent, it’s crucial to teach children how to interact with and critically evaluate AI-generated content.

What are effective strategies for balancing technological innovation with child protection responsibilities?

speaker

Dora Giusti

explanation

Finding this balance is key for tech companies to create safe products while continuing to innovate.

How can tech companies implement ‘safety by design’ principles in their product development process?

speaker

Dora Giusti

explanation

Integrating safety considerations from the earliest stages of product design is crucial for protecting children online.

What are best practices for conducting child rights impact assessments in the tech industry?

speaker

Afrooz Kaviani Johnson

explanation

These assessments are critical for companies to identify and address potential risks to children’s rights.

How can international cooperation be strengthened to develop global solutions for online child protection?

speaker

Dora Giusti

explanation

Given that online safety is a global challenge, finding collaborative international solutions is essential.

What are effective ways to improve digital literacy among parents to better guide their children’s online activities?

speaker

Liang Lingling

explanation

Parents’ digital literacy significantly impacts children’s perspectives on online activities and safety.