News
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.
Better EdTech Futures: Shaping Scotland’s approach to children’s rights and AI in schools
Scotland’s Government has used joint research from 5Rights and the Digital Futures for Children centre to shape its approach to children’s rights and AI in schools.
UK Government takes aim at manipulative digital design practices
The UK Government has announced new measures to strengthen online protections for children and young people, with a clear focus on tackling addictive and harmful digital design practices.
5Rights Youth Ambassadors give evidence to UK Parliamentarians on AI
5Rights Youth Ambassadors Eashaa and Niranjana, represented 5Rights at the UK Parliament this week, giving evidence to an inquiry of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Online Safety examining the impact of artificial intelligence on children.
Social media–style design is already in the classroom, new research finds
As Parliament debates banning children from social media, new research reveals that many of the same harmful design features are already embedded in the technology children use every day at school, raising concerns for children’s privacy, wellbeing and exposure to commercial exploitation in the classroom.
Next steps for online safety in the UK: 5Rights sets the criteria for legislative action
In the coming weeks, Parliament will debate proposals on social media bans for under‑16s – a critical moment to strengthen the UK’s online safety framework. As children, parents, and civil society call for more ambitious protections, 5Rights Foundation is setting out clear criteria to ensure regulation delivers real‑world change.
UK Information Commissioner issues first financial penalty under the Children’s Code
The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined MediaLab, owner of image-sharing platform Imgur, £247,590 for misusing children’s data, in a long-overdue enforcement action under the Age Appropriate Design Code.
UK government declines to introduce EdTech standards as classroom tech expands unchecked
The government’s refusal to introduce enforceable standards for educational technology leaves children’s rights secondary to commercial interests, as new research reveals mixed impact of AI and EdTech in schools.
The Age Appropriate Design Code can protect children from AI harms – if properly enforced
As the UK Government looks to close gaps around AI, 5Rights argues that stronger enforcement of the ICO’s Age Appropriate Design Code is critical to protect children from AI-related harms.
The UK’s Online Safety Act turns two: what’s changed for children?
As the landmark legislation reaches a milestone, 5Rights examine progress, challenges and what comes next for children’s rights online.
5Rights and the Digital Futures for Children Centre drives transformation in EdTech to protect children’s rights
New project drives urgent national conversation on whether technology used in the classrooms is meeting children’s right to education.
Classroom AI apps expose children to porn site trackers and give UK students wrong US helplines, new report reveals
Children using well-known AI-powered apps in classrooms, such as Grammarly, Character.AI and others, are being tracked by adult website advertisers, given dangerous misinformation about self-harm and taught false facts, according to new research carried out by LSE and 5Rights Foundation’s Digital Futures for Children centre.
UK’s Age Appropriate Design Code: four years of global impact before key review
As the UK’s pioneering children’s data protection code inspires global change, the upcoming review of the Code presents an opportunity to build on this success and tackle the risks children face and want to be addressed.