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Keep up to date with the latest development on data protection, children’s rights in the digital environment and more with our news articles and press releases.

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A wider view of a voting scene showing a mother holding her young child in her arms as they stand behind a voting booth marked with the American flag and "VOTE." The surrounding area of the voting hall is visible, with other individuals in the background preparing to vote.
  • News
  • Online Harms
  • US

US elections: bipartisan support for youth online privacy and safety must continue

As the US prepares to enter a new legislative term, 5Rights calls for continued bipartisan support to advance children’s and teens’ privacy and safety online.
A full view of a young girl using a tablet with holographic icons hovering above the screen. The icons include a credit card, email, Wi-Fi, a shield for security, a globe, video, and a chat symbol, representing various aspects of internet usage and data protection. The background is softly blurred, drawing focus to the girl and the icons, highlighting themes of child interaction with technology and digital safety.
  • News
  • Data Protection
  • United Kingdom

UK Government must uphold children’s privacy in new data law  

5Rights welcomes the draft proposals of the UK Data Bill that strengthen the accountability of tech firms on children’s safety but warns that many of the most problematic aspects to water down data protection remain.
A wider shot showing the large Instagram logo on a screen. In the foreground, there is a silhouette of a person holding and using a smartphone, with the focus primarily on the logo. This is the full version of the close-up shown above.
  • News
  • Sexual Exploitation
  • Global

Instagram is not doing enough to keep children safe

In response to Instagram’s latest new safety features, 5Rights believes more should be done to ensure children are fully protected on the platform.
A wider shot showing two young people in the background, dancing in front of a smartphone that is set up in a ring light stand. The phone screen shows the TikTok logo, and the scene suggests that they are filming a TikTok video. The blue sofa and a potted plant are visible in the background. This is the full version of the close-up shown above.
  • News
  • Online Harms
  • US

TikTok knows it is harming children

Internal TikTok documents reveal the company is promoting addictive design and targeting children, in full consciousness of the harms of its product
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Close-up of a young person on a smartphone that displays the Instagram logo, a simplistic outline of a camera, with the words "from Meta" underneath. The background is blurred.
  • Press Release
  • Sexual Exploitation
  • United Kingdom

Meta continues to ignore the prevalence of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) hosted and promoted on Instagram. So, we have urged Ofcom and the ICO to take action.
A close-up of a black child typing on a laptop. You can only see their hands typing on the keyboard, with the laptop resting on their lap. They appear to be sitting next to others.
  • News
  • Online Harms
  • United Kingdom

Holes not fixed: UK regulator publishes final proposals for tackling illegal harm online

Ofcom has published its final proposal for the Illegal Harms Code, and in its current iteration, it will fail to utilise the Online Safety Act to best protect children online.
A close-up of a monitor with 'Fortnite' displayed across it, in the game's recognisable white font of all caps in a playful, comic style, with a baby blue background. In the foreground of the image is a black keyboard with a colourful backlit keyboard.
  • News
  • Gaming
  • Global

Fortnite’s new update: Will it make child players safer?

Epic Games announced new protections for the personal information of Fortnite players with an expanded reporting system. A hopeful step for the safety of Fortnite’s child players.
Beyond Voluntary: The corporate duty to protect children’s rights
  • News
  • Child Rights
  • Global

Beyond Voluntary: The corporate duty to protect children’s rights

Commercial practices continue to put profits above children’s rights. If we want children’s rights upheld online, we need to shift from voluntary measures to coherent, enforceable regulations.
A row of EU Flags in front of the European Union Commission building in Brussels. It is a bright, sunny day. In the top left of the image, you can see clear blue skies. The sun is bouncing off the glass and the metal grid that sits in front of it.
  • News
  • Child Rights
  • European Union

New EU Commissioners commit to protect children online – will they walk the talk?

5Rights calls for a comprehensive framework to make the encouraging sentiments of the newly agreed European Commissioners a reality.
A close-up of a little boy in a teal hoodie on a laptop. He is lent over a yellow desk and has his left thumb resting on the trackpad, seemingly navigating the laptop. He is wide-eyed and very engaged.
  • News
  • Child Rights
  • United Kingdom

Win for children: UK Government makes safety by design a strategic priority

The UK Government has announced new statutory strategic priorities on the enforcement of the Online Safety Act, instructing Ofcom to enforce safety by design. A big step for children’s safety on World Children’s Day.
A wider view of a laptop with hands typing, surrounded by floating digital icons representing AI, cloud, education, and data analytics. The icons are part of a digital overlay against a connected network background, emphasizing themes of digital regulation, technology, and online interaction. This image is a broader view, capturing the context of the close-up shown above on the same page.
  • News
  • AI
  • Child Rights
  • United Kingdom

UK regulators must unite to close gaps in digital regulations 

UK regulators must close gaps in digital regulations to protect children online, focusing on risks from EdTech and AI while fostering a harmonised, clear and coherent approach to digital regulation.
A zoomed-out view of the same scene, featuring two hands holding a smartphone with the "Roblox" logo displayed on the screen. The image provides context by showing the surroundings, emphasising the individual's engagement with the app in a more complete view.
  • News
  • Services
  • Global

Roblox tightens safety measures: is it enough for children? 

Following reports highlighting child safety risks, Roblox implements new safeguards to restrict young users’ access to high-risk content. While progress is noted, concerns over user safety persist.
A wider view of a voting scene showing a mother holding her young child in her arms as they stand behind a voting booth marked with the American flag and "VOTE." The surrounding area of the voting hall is visible, with other individuals in the background preparing to vote.
  • News
  • Online Harms
  • US

US elections: bipartisan support for youth online privacy and safety must continue

As the US prepares to enter a new legislative term, 5Rights calls for continued bipartisan support to advance children’s and teens’ privacy and safety online.
A black boy is sitting on a grey sofa, relaxed. He is wearing a yellow T-shirt and light brown cargo trousers. He is holding a smartphone horizontally and looking at it intently. You can see, to the right of the image, a black man who is out-of-focus in an open flannel shirt, looking at his own smartphone.
  • News
  • Data Protection
  • United Kingdom

ICO research illustrates risk to children’s data  

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) published new research detailing the misuse of children’s data and announced notices to three companies suspected to have failed to comply with the Age Appropriate Design Code.
A full view of a young girl using a tablet with holographic icons hovering above the screen. The icons include a credit card, email, Wi-Fi, a shield for security, a globe, video, and a chat symbol, representing various aspects of internet usage and data protection. The background is softly blurred, drawing focus to the girl and the icons, highlighting themes of child interaction with technology and digital safety.
  • News
  • Data Protection
  • United Kingdom

UK Government must uphold children’s privacy in new data law  

5Rights welcomes the draft proposals of the UK Data Bill that strengthen the accountability of tech firms on children’s safety but warns that many of the most problematic aspects to water down data protection remain.
Online Safety Act one year on: Ofcom must fix holes in regulation   
  • News
  • Child Rights
  • United Kingdom

Online Safety Act one year on: Ofcom must fix holes in regulation   

Today marks one year since the Online Safety Act was passed into UK law. We recognise the scale of Ofcom’s task but do not believe the current proposals create the online world envisioned by the legislation.