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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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.
Ofcom intervention pushes Snap, Meta and Roblox to commit to child safety measures but evidence shows more is needed
New commitments from large tech companies show that regulatory pressure can drive change but children’s exposure to harmful design practices and content remains stubbornly unchanged.
New polling finds the public want platforms proven safe before use – not just banned
84% of the UK public are convinced that requiring companies to prove their products are designed to be safe before use would keep everyone safe on social media platforms. Only 2% think platforms are currently doing a good job of reducing the risk of harm to users.
