The Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) has released a report titled "The Kids Are Online," summarizing discussions from a symposium on children's online safety policy held in September 2024. The event brought together 23 participants, including academic researchers, policy experts, and civil society representatives, to explore research-driven approaches to issues affecting young users in digital environments.
The symposium aimed to foster dialogue, identify consensus and disagreements, and chart actionable paths forward. It featured thematic roundtables on four key topics: Connection, Content, Communication, and Characteristics. An all-participant session concluded the event by summarizing discussions and identifying strategies to integrate research into policy.
Key themes identified include the complexity of addressing youth safety online with no one-size-fits-all solution available. Researchers highlighted the varied experiences of young users based on factors like age and socioeconomic status. Tailored safety measures may be essential to address these diverse experiences effectively.
Participants emphasized a holistic approach involving parents, educators, platform designers, and policymakers as crucial for feasible solutions. They also pointed out that limited researcher access to data hinders understanding online harms and evaluating existing safety measures.
Several practical steps were proposed to enhance online safety for young people:
- Implement default protections like private accounts.
- Empower users with customizable content filters.
- Provide researchers with privacy-preserving data access.
- Support digital literacy through peer-to-peer education and collaborative onboarding processes.
The discussions underscored the complexity of creating safer online environments. Participants stressed ongoing dialogue and actionable processes are needed to bridge gaps between research, policy, and platform design. The report is a step towards creating shared spaces supporting safer digital environments for young users while respecting their rights.
