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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 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.

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.

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 young boy is lying down on a yellow sofa. He is lying on his front with his space position towards the camera. He is wearing headphones and looking intently at a phone. A young girl is in the background, on the sofa, on a laptop, but out of focus.

5Rights calls for robust enforcement to protect children’s data

Three years into the Age Appropriate Design Code’s enforcement, the Information Commissioner’s Office has failed to meet the Code’s foundational aims. At 5Rights, we’ve raised what must change to stop the continual misuse of children’s data.

Two white teens are on their phones. The focus of the image is on their hands interacting with the phones, with their faces and upper body not visible to the image.

New UK Bill to strengthen regulations protecting children online 

Member of Parliament to introduce new legislation that could strengthen children’s rights online. The ‘Digital Safety and Data Protection Bill’ will have implications for the Online Safety Act, children’s data protection, and phones in schools.

From left: Margrethe Vestager, Baroness Beeban Kidron, Maria Ressa, and Shoshana Zuboff. They are sat on a stage. There is a large US flag to the left, behind Margrethe Vestager. The backdrop is a pale blue with the logo and text 'Harvard Kennedy School: Institute of Politics'.

Four “immensely influential women” challenge Surveillance Capitalism

Leading voices spoke at the Harvard Kennedy School on the need to reform for-profit information collection and exploitation, affirming that it isn’t too late, but is urgent.

Boy in a white shirt playing a game on a white tablet computer while sat on a sofa.

Celebrating 3 years of the Age Appropriate Design Code

Today marks the third anniversary of the UK’s Age Appropriate Design Code. During this time, the Code’s influence has spread globally and proven that services can be redesigned to protect children.

The US and the California state flag waving in the wind in front of the dome of the California State Capitol, Sacramento, California

Court Upholds Key Provisions of California’s Age Appropriate Design Code

A US federal court ruling affirms that requiring tech to be safe and private by design and default for kids is appropriate, opening the way for Age Appropriate Design Codes across the country.

A young girl with black hair pleated in braids and wearing a teal long-sleeve shirt is showing something on her phone to her friend, a boy seemingly younger than her wearing a striped long-sleeve shirt. The boy is standing while she is sitting down.

Spain advances privacy-preserving solution for age verification

The Spanish Government launched an app allowing users to obtain tokens proving they are over 18, encouraging age-appropriate experiences for children online.

Parliament hill, Canada’s Parliament building, with a Canadian flag flying in the cloudy sky

Canada – 5Rights welcomes bills on child online privacy and safety

The two bills on online safety and privacy that are being put before the Canadian Parliament are an opportunity for the protection and empowerment of children.

Four black children are looking at laptop in a classroom, as one of is touching the trackpad.

DFC on EdTech and the impact of enforcement action

The joint LSE & 5Rights Digital Futures for Children centre has published Edtech reports on international action and improvements to children’s privacy.

Maryland Governor, Wes Moore sits in the middle of a large table. He is surrounded by witnesses to the signing.

Child protection laws signed in Maryland and passed in Vermont

Maryland Governor signs Kids Code into law, as Vermont legislators pass comprehensive data privacy law with age appropriate design provisions

Two children sitting close together on a porch or outdoor steps, with one of them focused on a smartphone. The child on the left, who has long brown hair and is wearing a navy blue t-shirt, is intently looking at the phone he is holding in both hands. The child on the right, who has short dark hair and is wearing glasses and a green and white plaid shirt, is sitting slightly behind and to the side, also looking at the phone. The background shows some greenery, suggesting they are outdoors on a porch or patio. Both children appear to be concentrating on whatever is displayed on the phone, suggesting that they might be playing a game or watching something together.

Maryland Passes Kids Code to Strengthen Child Online Safety

Maryland becomes the second US State to adopt the Age-Appropriate Design Code, echoing California’s privacy standards for children and setting a new benchmark for online safety.