Translated with AI
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called on states and technology companies to take stronger measures to protect children on online platforms. He emphasized the need to regulate the digital environment and make it more transparent, the UN press service reported.
"The digital world gives children access to knowledge, communication, and creativity, but at the same time, it exposes them to real threats. Risks to their safety, privacy, and psychological well-being are not inevitable. They are a direct result of deliberate design decisions and business practices," said Türk.
Platforms are deliberately introducing addictive features such as endless scrolling, autoplaying videos, and intrusive notifications, he added.
Türk notes that child protection online must be properly implemented. To ensure that regulation in this area is based on fundamental human rights, the Office, headed by Türk, has prepared a set of practical recommendations.
"Total bans on social media are not a panacea; the problem is multifaceted. We can't simply restrict access to unsafe platforms and call it a mission. Governments and businesses need much more ambitious action. We need to ensure that platforms are secure from the outset, by design," the High Commissioner stated.
The Directorate, in particular, states the need to protect children's personal data and ensure that their rights and needs are taken into account first and foremost.
Efforts to completely ban children from using social media are currently gaining momentum around the world. The impetus was provided by Australia, which introduced restrictions for teenagers under 16 in December 2025. Age filters were subsequently introduced in Indonesia and Malaysia, and more than a dozen other countries are currently considering similar measures.
Turk emphasized that, as practice shows, any prohibitions can be circumvented. There is a danger that strict taboos will simply push children into even more dangerous and completely unregulated underground spaces.
In its recommendations, the UN Human Rights Office emphasizes that any age restrictions should be targeted and targeted against specific threats. Experts propose a set of additional steps to help protect children without violating their rights.
Proposed measures include creating strict frameworks for age verification systems, mandatory assessments of the impact of platforms on children's rights, and engaging adolescents themselves in legislative discussions. All of this should be supported by transparency in the operations of tech giants, strengthened oversight of their activities, and mechanisms for legal protection of children.
