The problem
Digital products and services curate almost all aspects of children’s lives, but they are designed for profit, not children’s wellbeing. Today, one in two under 18s struggles with addiction to digital devices; harassment, eating disorders, suicide and online sexual abuse are soaring.
“The more time you use social media the more addicted you are and there is no control over it.”
Sarah, 13
“I believe that when young people collate all their ideas, something amazing can happen”
Alejandro, 12
The solution
Children’s rights and needs must be at the heart of digital design and development. Tech companies must be held accountable for ensuring their products and services cater for children and young people by design and default.
Our impact
Working for and with young people, 5Rights has successfully set the agenda, delivered the evidence, shaped the needed policy, legislation and technical tools, and worked with companies to demonstrate that redesigning services for children is possible, profitable and can benefit all.
“I imagine that the digital world in the 22nd century will be advanced, brilliant and safe for all children to use effectively and creatively”
Aisha, 16
The digital world was not designed for children. But it can be. Take action with us today for a better tomorrow.
Resources
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Latest
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Regulation is making digital spaces safer for children, but tech giants’ responses still fall short without strong enforcement
A new report from the Digital Futures for Children centre has found that legislation is having an important impact in driving new norms that benefit children, but that weak enforcement has incentivised poor practice by incumbent tech giants.
5Rights and EACA launch pan-European campaign
In partnership with The European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA), 5Rights Foundation, has launched a landmark advertising campaign designed to encourage lawmakers to demand tech firms design better protection for children into their devices and platforms.
5Rights’ Coalition helps secure EU ban on nudifying AI but gaps remain
Advocacy efforts led by 5Rights over the past few months helped secure key protections for children in the EU’s Digital Omnibus on AI. But significant setbacks on children’s privacy and toy safety continue to leave children exposed to harms.
Meta’s inadequate age assurance likely in breach of the Digital Services Act
The European Commission has found Meta’s age assurance methods on Instagram and Facebook to be inadequate and linked this failure to the company’s incomplete and arbitrary risk assessment.

