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.
UK moves to tackle addictive features
The UK Government has announced additional measures intended to protect teenagers online, following last month’s announcement that social media companies will be banned from offering services to children under the age of 16.
EU says tech firms must prove safety before accessing children
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says the days of children and parents managing platform risk are ending – safety will need to be proven upfront.
Meta preliminarily found in breach of the DSA over addictive design
5Rights welcomes the European Commission’s preliminary findings that Meta may be in breach of the Digital Services Act (DSA) due to the addictive design of Instagram and Facebook.
Infinite Scroll: Groundbreaking study reveals ‘TikTokisation’ of children online
A groundbreaking new study published by Revealing Reality in partnership with the 5Rights Foundation has revealed how “addictive” short-form video is impacting children
Growing up in the Online World: 5Rights response
5Rights’ response to the national consultation Growing Up in the Online World, outlining key recommendations for protecting children’s rights in the digital environment.
Blocking explicit content for children is welcome – but the real problem is the business model
5Rights Foundation has welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement that technology companies will be given three months to strengthen protections preventing children from seeing or sharing explicit content, including through harmful AI-powered “nudification” tools.
TikTok, Instagram and X exposed Latin America’s children to violent and sexualised content within minutes, new study finds
Children across Latin America may be at far greater risk online than platforms publicly admit, according to new research published today by 5Rights Foundation.
Ban social media, or make it safer? Government must put responsibility back onto tech platforms as consultation ends
As the UK Government’s consultation on Children’s Digital Wellbeing closes, 5Rights has called on ministers to respond to growing public concern about children’s online experiences with practical, enforceable measures that put safety and wellbeing first.
Children’s groups call on UK Government to tackle root causes of online harm
As the UK Government prepares to conclude a major consultation into children’s digital wellbeing, 25 of the UK’s leading children’s organisations have released a joint statement warning that the UK is failing to tackle the root causes of online harm and calling for decisive action that delivers meaningful change for children.
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.
Paediatricians press for age-appropriate design
New guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics calls for systemic changes to platform design, with stronger defaults and protections for children.
Landmark verdict on Google and Meta shows why Age-Appropriate Design Codes are critical to protecting children online
A landmark jury ruling in California has found Meta and Google liable for designing products that addict and harm children.
