Session
Organizer 1: Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Organizer 2: Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Organizer 3: Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Organizer 4: Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Organizer 2: Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Organizer 3: Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Organizer 4: Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 1: Umut Pajaro Velasquez, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 2: André Fernandes, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 3: Luana Araújo, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 4: Mariana Canto Sobral, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 2: André Fernandes, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 3: Luana Araújo, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 4: Mariana Canto Sobral, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Format
Roundtable
Duration (minutes): 90
Format description: The roundtable format with 90 minutes is ideal for this session as it fosters an interactive and dynamic discussion on child and adolescent online safety. Given the complexity of regulatory frameworks and the need for cross-sector collaboration, this format allows diverse stakeholders—policymakers, researchers, industry representatives, and civil society—to engage in a meaningful exchange of perspectives. The roundtable setup encourages dialogue rather than passive listening, enabling participants to share insights, debate challenges, and co-develop actionable solutions. The 90-minute duration ensures sufficient time to explore the three key themes—Child-Centered Design, Ethics & Privacy, and Digital Literacy—while allowing for audience participation. This setup supports an inclusive, solution-oriented conversation, essential for shaping policies and best practices that prioritize children's rights and digital well-being.
Duration (minutes): 90
Format description: The roundtable format with 90 minutes is ideal for this session as it fosters an interactive and dynamic discussion on child and adolescent online safety. Given the complexity of regulatory frameworks and the need for cross-sector collaboration, this format allows diverse stakeholders—policymakers, researchers, industry representatives, and civil society—to engage in a meaningful exchange of perspectives. The roundtable setup encourages dialogue rather than passive listening, enabling participants to share insights, debate challenges, and co-develop actionable solutions. The 90-minute duration ensures sufficient time to explore the three key themes—Child-Centered Design, Ethics & Privacy, and Digital Literacy—while allowing for audience participation. This setup supports an inclusive, solution-oriented conversation, essential for shaping policies and best practices that prioritize children's rights and digital well-being.
Policy Question(s)
A. How can digital platforms implement child-centered design to ensure age-appropriate experiences and protect their rights?
B. What regulatory measures can be implemented to promote child-centered design and prevent manipulative practices in digital services targeting young users?
C. What policies can enhance privacy, security, ethical standards, and digital literacy to protect children and adolescents from online risks and equip them with the skills to navigate the digital world safely?
What will participants gain from attending this session? Participants will gain valuable insights into strategies for ensuring safe and age-appropriate digital access for children and adolescents. The session will explore best practices, international regulatory frameworks, and recent legislative advancements that address digital safety concerns.
By examining examples from different countries, attendees will understand how various policies have been developed to protect young users and mitigate risks such as exposure to harmful content and data exploitation.
Additionally, the session will introduce adaptable guidelines that can be applied across different sectors and services, helping to create safer digital environments. These recommendations are not exhaustive but serve as a foundation that can evolve with emerging data and societal transformations.
Finally, participants will leave with a broader understanding of child online safety, practical tools for improving digital services, and insights into shaping policies that prioritize children's rights and well-being in the digital space.
SDGs
Description:
This session will delve into the critical global issue of ensuring the safety and well-being of children and adolescents in digital environments. As young people increasingly engage with online platforms, there is an urgent need to develop policies and practices that offer age-appropriate access while safeguarding their rights. The session will address the international efforts to strengthen child protection through regulatory frameworks such as the UK’s Online Safety Act, the USA’s Kids Online Safety Act, and the Age Appropriate Design Code, with a particular focus on the growing need for digital services that are not only safe but also designed with children’s development in mind. Through three key categories—Child and Adolescent-Centered Design, Ethics, Privacy, and Security, and Digital Literacy—the session will explore best practices for protecting young users. Topics include how to ensure platforms are developed with children’s needs at the core, privacy by design, and ethical considerations around data collection. Attention will also be given to mitigating manipulative design practices and reducing screen time. Furthermore, the discussion will cover the importance of integrating security measures into digital services, ensuring transparency, and upholding children’s right to privacy. The session will also explore the need for digital literacy, empowering children, adolescents, and their protection networks to navigate digital spaces safely. By sharing international insights, offering concrete guidelines, and emphasizing cross-sector collaboration, this workshop will provide attendees with actionable recommendations for improving online safety and designing digital spaces that prioritize children’s rights and development. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how to shape and implement policies that ensure children’s safe and ethical engagement with digital technologies while fostering a supportive and inclusive online environment.
This session will delve into the critical global issue of ensuring the safety and well-being of children and adolescents in digital environments. As young people increasingly engage with online platforms, there is an urgent need to develop policies and practices that offer age-appropriate access while safeguarding their rights. The session will address the international efforts to strengthen child protection through regulatory frameworks such as the UK’s Online Safety Act, the USA’s Kids Online Safety Act, and the Age Appropriate Design Code, with a particular focus on the growing need for digital services that are not only safe but also designed with children’s development in mind. Through three key categories—Child and Adolescent-Centered Design, Ethics, Privacy, and Security, and Digital Literacy—the session will explore best practices for protecting young users. Topics include how to ensure platforms are developed with children’s needs at the core, privacy by design, and ethical considerations around data collection. Attention will also be given to mitigating manipulative design practices and reducing screen time. Furthermore, the discussion will cover the importance of integrating security measures into digital services, ensuring transparency, and upholding children’s right to privacy. The session will also explore the need for digital literacy, empowering children, adolescents, and their protection networks to navigate digital spaces safely. By sharing international insights, offering concrete guidelines, and emphasizing cross-sector collaboration, this workshop will provide attendees with actionable recommendations for improving online safety and designing digital spaces that prioritize children’s rights and development. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how to shape and implement policies that ensure children’s safe and ethical engagement with digital technologies while fostering a supportive and inclusive online environment.
Expected Outcomes
Report summarizing key reflections and proposals: Highlighting best practices for child-centered design, privacy, security, and digital literacy in digital platforms.
Actionable guidelines for policymakers and digital platform developers to ensure age-appropriate, secure, and ethical digital experiences for children.
Recommendations for improving privacy and security in digital services aimed at children, with a focus on transparency and reducing manipulative design practices.
Proposals for strengthening digital literacy to help children and adolescents navigate digital spaces safely and responsibly.
Follow-up collaboration with stakeholders to implement and refine policies and practices that protect children’s rights and well-being online.
Hybrid Format: To facilitate interaction between speakers and participants, we will use a combination of in-person and online tools. Prior to the session, we will engage audiences through social media, raising awareness and collecting input via anonymous online forms from children, adolescents, and guardians. During the workshop, participants can interact using Mentimeter, accessible through QR codes, to respond to polls that will be discussed in real-time. This will ensure engagement from both in-person and online attendees. We will present the results of the forms during the panel and encourage live questions through Mentimeter to maintain interaction. A dedicated Q&A session will also be held for both in-person and remote participants. After the event, we will share images and short videos on social media to amplify the discussions and increase the session's reach and impact.