United Kingdom
5Rights leads innovation in digital policy, ensuring children and young people in the UK feel safe and empowered online.
Overview
The UK, where 5Rights was founded, has pioneered digital regulation for children. It introduced the world’s first enforceable Age Appropriate Design Code in 2020, followed by the Online Safety Act in 2023, making it a key testing ground for policy innovation and implementation.
“A perfect digital world should be focused on online safety of the content. Every child should be informed about the type of content before they access it”
William, 15
Children’s experiences
Almost all 3-17-year-olds go online in the UK, mostly to watch videos, play video games, send messages to their friends and stay connected via social media. Nearly half of 11-year-olds who go online have a social media profile, despite a minimum age requirement of 13 for most social media sites. While watching videos, children are exposed to many advertisements and encouraged to spend cash as they are playing online games. Grooming cases and self-generated child sexual imagery are also on the rise, especially for younger children. 5Rights works hard to advocate that digital spaces likely to be accessed by children provide them with content and experiences appropriate to their age and evolving capacities.
Our work in the UK
5Rights works closely with policy makers and regulators and leads the work of the Children’s Coalition for Online Safety. We also partner with Bereaved Families for Online Safety to keep children’s online safety at the forefront of the political agenda. In partnership with the London School of Economics, 5Rights launched the Digital Futures for Children centre, dedicated to researching a rights-respecting digital world for children.
In focus
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Latest
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New UK data law: what does it mean for children’s privacy?
The new UK data law introduces significant changes in children’s data protection, including new codes of practice for EdTech, AI and automated decision-making, following years of advocacy by 5Rights.
Apple and Google expose children to data privacy breaches through misleading app age ratings
Hundreds of the most popular apps are being advertised with misleading age-ratings in Apple and Google’s app stores, leaving children in “the firing line” of targeted ads and unlawful data processing.
Research reveals “non-existent” enforcement of industry-led standards on loot boxes
New findings reinforce longstanding concerns from 5Rights about the inadequacy of industry self-regulation in protecting children from exploitative in-game purchases.
UK Government sets unambiguous direction for a safer online world
5Rights welcomes the UK Government’s final Statement of Strategic Priorities, confirming safety by design as a cornerstone of tech regulation. However, more must be done to deliver on the Online Safety Act’s promises.