In an effort to keep kids safer online, government branches in the UK and US have come together to set up and launch a new joint children’s online safety working group.
Announced yesterday in a statement issued by UK Technology Secretary Peter Kyle and US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, the initiative calls for online platforms to go “further and faster” to protect kids online.
Some of the group’s key goals include promoting platform transparency, allowing independent researchers more privacy-protected access to platform data, and working to better understand how new technologies like generative AI affect young people.
The statement notes that there continues to be limited research and evidence on the causal impact that social media has on youth, hence the need for the UK and the US to work more collaboratively to protect children online.
“The online world brings incredible benefits for young people, enriching their education and social lives. But these experiences must take place in an environment which has safety baked in from the outset, not as an afterthought. Delivering this goal is my priority,” said Kyle in the statement.
“The digital world has no borders, and working with our international partners like the US—one of our closest allies and home to the biggest tech firms—is essential. This joint statement will turn our historic partnership towards delivering a safer online world for our next generation.”
Highlighting how the countries are leading global efforts in safe technology, a new government report has found that the UK’s safety technology sector is only second in size to the US, with these companies contributing more than US$783 million to Britain’s economy in the last year.
The UK government has also stated that it is committed to working with regulator Ofcom to get the UK’s Online Safety Act implemented quickly and effectively. Kyle met with Ofcom chief executive Melanie Dawes earlier this week for a progress report, according to a release.
The statement also notes that the US government’s Kids Online Health and Safety Taskforce is continuing to advance the health, safety and privacy of children online.
The announcement of this new joint online safety group follows recent news that more than a dozen US states are suing TikTok, claiming the platform is designed to be addictive, doesn’t protect teens, and collects data about kids without parental consent.
