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
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5Rights celebrates Safer Internet Day 2025
Safer Internet Day is beyond a celebration. From Dublin to Manila, we’re calling for children’s rights to be respected by design and default.
5Rights joins global call to make AI safe for children
Global leaders gather at the Grand Palais in Paris for the AI summit, whilst 5Rights signs onto Everyone.AI’s Beneficial AI for Children call to action. We’re calling for AI that is safe by design, rights-respecting, and empowering for children.
AI systems that exploit the vulnerabilities of children are now illegal in the EU
Article 5 of the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act is a true milestone, but more is required to protect children’s rights and needs by design and default.
UK bolsters legal basis of Age Appropriate Design Code
In a major win for 5Rights, the UK Government has introduced a legal requirement for online services to consider children’s rights and needs when processing their data, by design and default. This move emboldens the Age Appropriate Design Code, strengthening protections to children’s data.