Our work: Redesigning the digital world for kids
Working with and for children and engaging with experts and stakeholders globally, we fight for systemic change that ensures the digital world is fit for children and young people by design and default.
Children’s experience
The digital world was not designed with children in mind. As our research shows, one in two under 18s struggles with addiction to digital devices, with massive impacts on their education, health and well-being. Harassment, eating disorders, suicide and online sexual abuse are soaring.
“I realise I have been addicted to TikTok. I replaced online gaming with scrolling videos.”
Nora, 11
“Games that are never-ending are addictive, they kept me going back because I could never finish them”
David, 10
Risky by design
The digital economy is an attention economy. Persuasive design increases children’s engagement and determines their activities and the decisions they make online, stunting their creativity and development, and exposing them to a wide variety of risks.
Children’s rights
In addition to their human rights, all under 18s have specific rights that apply online as offline. These include rights to safety, privacy, health, education, development, play and rest, freedom from exploitation, and to participate and be heard.
“I want a digital world where every child and youth voice is heard and their rights are exercised and not just said”
Ren, 17
“Digital services should be accessible to all children and youth everywhere”
Andrea, 12
Towards new norms
Designing with children’s rights and needs in mind must be a global industry norm. 5Rights works for enforceable global regulatory norms, implementable technical norms, and new professional stakeholder norms.
Our programmes
Our work around the world
5Rights is globally active. In addition to our US, UK, Europe and Global Multilateral programmes, we run projects across Asia, Africa, Latin and North America.
United Kingdom
The UK, where 5Rights was founded, has pioneered digital regulation for children. With the world’s first enforceable Age Appropriate Design Code signed into law in 2020, complemented by the Online Safety Act in 2023, it is a key testing ground for policy innovation, and implementation.
European Union
The EU is a global normative and regulatory powerhouse. Its data protection regulation, the GDPR, underpins the Age Appropriate Design Code, whereas the Digital Services Act and AI Act have the potential to fundamentally reshape digital design norms for children.
United States
American companies created the internet as children know it today, and the US still hosts many of the world’s most innovative and powerful tech companies. Strengthening US regulation and working with the country’s dynamic industry ecosystem are critical to driving change for children everywhere.
Global
Children everywhere use the same tech, face the same problems, and have the same rights. A global, equitable, solution is needed. From the UN to the African Union, from Jackarta to Buenos Aires and Ottawa, a coherent body of global standards and best practices is taking shape with our support.
Latest
View all
Final DSA guidelines deliver historic win for children’s rights online after years of 5Rights advocacy
The European Commission’s final guidelines on Article 28.1 of the Digital Services Act incorporate key recommendations from 5Rights’ baseline and coalition advocacy that shaped the framework from inception to adoption.
Children’s privacy advances across Asia-Pacific with new policy recommendations
5Rights expert insights contribute to policy recommendations that will guide children’s privacy protection across all 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation member economies
Why children need the Online Safety Act: protecting children in a digital wild west
With online grooming crimes in the UK surging 89% and a quarter of children exposed to pornography by age 11, now is not the time to take a step back on online safety.
New research reveals how children face financial harm online
New study published by the UK regulator Ofcom reinforces the urgent need for effective regulation of loot boxes, in-app purchases and other persuasive design strategies that exploit children’s vulnerabilities and drive them to spend money online.