The digital world makes a valuable contribution to children’s development, but digitalisation also poses risks, including cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content, fake news, and gaming addiction. Consequently, the government is committed to protecting children from online dangers.
Noor Huijboom, Team Coordinator at the Directorate for Digital Society (DS), part of the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK), and her team are involved in the initiatives from the Work Agenda concerning children’s rights in the online world. “First and foremost, the digital world offers a lot to children. It’s a place for learning, playing games, and skill development. We need to preserve that. At the same time, we’re aware of dangers, such as harmful content, privacy violations, and fake news. The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office released guidelines in 2020 for developers of children’s online services, the Age Appropriate Design Code. Inspired by this UK initiative, we established the Code for Children’s Rights in 2021. Since then, securing children’s rights in the digital world has increasingly solidified on the government’s agenda.”
Three tracks
Huijboom explains, “Our measures for protecting children’s rights online focus on three tracks: Legislation, policy, and supervision.”
- Legislation
“Companies must comply with specific laws when offering online products and services to children. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is crucial for personal data protection. Other regulations, such as the Digital Services Act (DSA), will soon provide extra protection against personalised ads for minors. The forthcoming AI Act aims to safeguard fundamental rights when deploying artificial intelligence, protecting human rights for both children and adults.” - Policy
“We also develop policies, which may include tools for companies creating online services for children. For example, we released the Children’s Rights Impact Assessments (CRIA) to map the opportunities and risks of digital products for children’s rights. We’re also developing tools aimed at children and parents, including collaborating with Considerati on a Children’s Rights Seal, which informs young people and parents about the risks of an online product or service.” - Supervision
“Ensuring compliance with these rules is crucial. The supervision of protecting children’s rights in the digital world is divided among various regulators. For instance, the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Dutch DPA) covers personal data protection, and the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) deals with the child as a consumer. The Media Authority oversees harmful content. There are other involved regulators, and this fragmentation means no single entity has a complete overview, which can lead to gaps in the regulatory landscape. We’re working with different regulators and departments to strengthen this area.”
Greater attention to children’s rights online
One of the measures includes the removal of mobile phones from classrooms in secondary education. The Children’s Rights Impact Assessment (CRIA) helps companies and developers of digital products understand the opportunities and risks their products pose to children’s rights. What’s the feedback on such measures? “Academics appreciate the government’s focus. The Trimbos Institute has identified issues related to the digital world for years. Civil society is seeking engagement with us, for instance, UNICEF has established a youth panel called the Youth Council on Digitalisation (Jongerenraad Digitalisering). Parents appreciate the government’s concern about this matter. Some find the digital world complex and welcome assistance and guidelines. Broadly speaking: Many parties are supportive of the initiatives. Some companies find it challenging, as measures may conflict with their business models.”
Public campaign
Meanwhile, children’s screen time is increasing. Eight-year-olds are on TikTok, and young people experience stress due to social media use. How are parents involved in these issues? Huijboom explains, “We’re currently working on a large multimedia public campaign. It aims to alert parents, children, and teenagers. The digital world isn’t just fun. Keep an eye on your digital health and well-being. What should children do if they encounter something negative? How do parents recognise problematic online behaviour in their teenagers? The campaign provides information and practical tips. It’s intended to be a multi-year communication, focusing on a specific theme each time, such as harmful content, cyberbullying, or addiction techniques, launching late 2024. In my team, we’re convinced: We must better protect children in the digital world.”
