The research insights day, with around 60 participants, invited critical and collaborative engagement. The hybrid event demonstrated the importance of interdisciplinary and cross-sector approaches to understanding and addressing children’s rights in an increasingly complex and rapidly evolving digital landscape. Topics discussed included:
- regulation of social media policies,
- digital inclusion,
- digital ecosystems and
- emerging technologies.
Advancing children's rights in the digital environment through research
The opening dialogue underscored the DFC’s mission: to develop a nuanced, globally informed and evidence-based understanding of how to protect children's rights in an increasingly complex digital environment.
Professor Sonia Livingstone, DFC Director, and Baroness Beeban Kidron, DFC Chair, traced the evolution of advocacy from a time when digital concerns were often dismissed as a "first-world luxury" to the current moment, which sees a heightened global awareness on several emerging issues. They highlighted the ongoing hurdles in acknowledging children's experiences in the digital world, such as a tendency to focus on edge cases rather than prioritising a more systemic understanding.
The conversation advocated for a collaborative approach, setting the tone for the day. By integrating diverse perspectives (academic, regulatory and advocacy-driven) and harnessing the "political weather" (public sentiment and emotional currents), the DFC hopes to propel more responsive and meaningful interventions in children's digital lives.
Watch Sonia and Beeban's introduction here.
The impact of regulation on children’s digital lives
How are online safety and privacy regulations shaping digital services for children? Steve Wood, former Deputy Commissioner at the Information Commissioner's Office, examined corporate announcements from major tech platforms Meta, Google, TikTok and Snapchat from 2017 to 2024. The subsequent report, Impact of regulation on children’s digital lives, identified changes across four key areas: default settings, tools, information provision and support mechanisms.
Steve highlighted how various legislative frameworks are leading to substantive transformations in digital platforms, although there is considerable scope also for future improvement. These frameworks include:
- UK Age Appropriate Design Code (AADC)
- Online Safety Act (OSA)
- EU Digital Services Act (DSA)
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
- US Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)
However, Steve noted distinct methodological challenges. Despite completing a comprehensive analysis of corporate announcements, motivations behind corporate policy changes remain elusive. Moreover, providing evidence that changes in legislation succeed in protecting children’s rights continues to be a significant challenge.
Looking ahead, Steve revealed plans for a second phase of research that may delve deeper into children's experiences with these regulatory changes, explore industry communication strategies and analyse how these regulations are implemented differently around the globe.
Three key discussion points were raised:
- The audience highlighted a gap between corporate announcements and children's understanding of new safety features. They sought insight into what companies might be withholding.
- The discussion also explored the global impact of the California Age Appropriate Design Code and how US regulations could influence international child online safety policies.
- Additionally, the research team was urged to define ‘success’ for their next phase, advocating for a nuanced approach that critiques legislation and design over and above measuring user awareness of it.
Watch Steve's presentation here.
Mapping the impact of General Comment No. 25
Dr Kim Sylwander presented an in-depth exploration of the impact of General Comment No. 25 (2021) on children’s rights in relation to the digital environment. Kim asked how national and international sectors have implemented General Comment 25 and presented an analysis of academic literature, UN processes, regional organisations and national legislative frameworks.
Kim evidenced that academic discussions have rapidly integrated General Comment No. 25, with citations spanning academic fields such as education, health sciences, psychology and law. However, significant gaps and challenges remain, including noteworthy disparities in how different countries and organisations engage with General Comment No. 25. For example, while nearly 60% of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child's concluding observations cited this critical document, 41% did not.
Additionally, the dialogue addressed specific contextual challenges and examples:
- Obstacles in the Global South include limited capacity development, significant digital divides and insufficient resources. Ultimately, nations with limited digital infrastructure are less likely to effectively address children’s rights in the digital environment.
- The United States stands out as a unique case because it has not ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
- Positive examples, such as Ireland's multi-stakeholder approach, showcased the potential of General Comment No. 25 to influence data protection measures, online safety regulations and legislative strategies.
Watch Kim's presentation here.
Exclusion of (vulnerable) children from digital inclusion policies.
The collaborative research project led by Professor Ellen Helsper and Shivani Rao will critically examine digital transformation and inclusion policies at global, regional and national levels, asking:
1) whether children are included in digital policies,
2) how children are included (how they are portrayed- as a homogeneous group or with a more nuanced understanding) and
3) the implications of these policies for children's rights.
The project's theoretical foundation for understanding digital inequalities is rooted in UNICEF reports, A global review of selected digital inclusion policies and Towards a child-centred digital equality framework. Previous findings showed that:
- Policies typically depict children as a uniform group, either as digital natives or victims without agency and in need of protection.
- Digital inclusion policies are likely to emphasise education as the formal route for delivery.
- Policies rely on tech companies for the implementation of online safety measures.
The project will employ a three-phase methodology that includes reviewing policies, conducting content analysis and critical discourse analysis. These will focus on intergovernmental and regional policies, especially in less-studied countries. The presentation addressed the complexities of multilingual policies, noting their reliance on local research assistants and government-published documents, with critical discourse analysis providing deeper insights.
In the discussion, the researchers clarified the following elements of the project:
- Their goal is to raise awareness among activist organisations to prioritise children's rights in digital agendas.
- When defining policies, they outlined a systematic approach involving language experts, document archiving and careful contextualisation, showcasing the project's adaptability to diverse global settings.
Watch the full presentation here.
Opportunities, risks, and harm in the gaming ecosystem
Dr Ivelise Fortim's presentation offered a framework for understanding the multifaceted role of video games in children's lives.
Her research involves conducting expert interviews with stakeholders in the gaming ecosystem in Brazil and the UK. This approach aims to better understand the risks and opportunities in various contexts while also addressing the power dynamics within the gaming industry.
She emphasised that the gaming ecosystem is not just about games; it is a complex set of elements, agents and interactions that constitute the industry and community. This includes the development, production, distribution, consumption and culture associated with gaming. Her ongoing research maps the roles of the gaming ecosystem’s stakeholders, including families, developers and regulators, aiming to reduce risks while promoting positive experiences for players.
Her work highlights the need to understand the interactions among developers, publishers and platforms like Discord and Twitch as they shape children's gaming experiences. She stressed the importance of establishing guidelines that address the power dynamics within the gaming industry, as major gaming platforms’ actions -or inactions- set the tone for safety and inclusivity in gaming.
While gaming can enhance socialisation, learning and cognitive stimulation, it also poses dangers like online grooming, radicalisation and predatory monetisation practices like loot boxes. However, Ivelise noted that societal reactions often create panic around issues like addiction and violence, which distract from the broader gaming ecosystem and its governance.
Watch Ivelise's presentation here.
Still canaries in the coal mine? The role of AI literacy in realising children's rights
Dr Mariya Stoilova's talk explored digital literacy as it relates to generative AI (GenAI) and its implications for children's rights.
Mariya highlighted the dual nature of GenAI: its potential for creativity and education contrasted with the significant gaps in evidence regarding its actual benefits and mechanisms for children. To illustrate this, Mariya introduced the Youth Skills (ySKILLS) theoretical model of Digital Literacy, which emphasises four pillars:
- technical and operational competencies,
- information navigation and processing,
- communication and interaction, and
- content creation.
While these dimensions lay a solid foundation for understanding digital literacy, GenAI brings new challenges including: heightened risks like hyper-personalization, emotional manipulation and the production of hyper-realistic deepfakes.
During the discussion, the following key points were raised:
- The conceptualisation of AI literacy is complex, touching on the social and systemic dimensions often overlooked in individual-centric approaches.
- The importance of relationality— children's interactions with peers, educators and their environments shape their understanding and use of GenAI.
- Attendees raised critical issues such as the ecological impacts of AI and the role of co-design methodologies in participatory research with children.
- While digital literacy frameworks provide valuable insights, addressing broader societal and ethical concerns will require interdisciplinary collaboration and updated tools to meet the unique challenges posed by AI technologies.
Watch Mariya's presentation here.
A children's rights approach to AI regulation in education
Ayça Atabey and Alexandra Evans explored the implications of AI-driven educational technologies (EdTech) for children's rights. Bringing together insights from research and advocacy, they discussed the widespread assumption that AI in education is inherently beneficial, highlighting the lack of critical examination of its actual impacts on children's privacy, safety and broader rights.
Ayça explained how current regulatory frameworks, such as the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), often fail to adequately address the complexities of AI in educational contexts. For example, the justification for using children's data often rests on claims of educational benefits, but this rarely undergoes scrutiny regarding its impact on other rights.
Alexandra built on this, highlighting that policymakers must take a more thoughtful approach to EdTech. There are notable legislative gaps, such as those found in the UK Age Appropriate Design Code (AADC) and the Online Safety Act (OSA), which unfortunately do not cover educational environments.
The discussion emphasised the risks posed by opaque AI systems, including lack of transparency, potential bias and the impact on neurodiverse or vulnerable children. Both speakers called for a unified regulatory approach that integrates pedagogy, legal compliance and children's rights. Alexandra highlighted the fragmented policy landscape and the need for clear standards to ensure EdTech aligns with children's developmental and rights-based needs.
The session concluded with a focus on co-creating solutions with educators and policymakers to establish benchmarks and codes of practice for AI in education, ensuring that children's rights are prioritised throughout the lifecycle of AI system development and use.
Watch their dialogue here.
Concluding remarks and key insights for advocacy
The DFC Day concluded with a reflective session synthesising the key insights and charting potential future directions for research and advocacy. The closing remarks reflected the day's discussions, emphasising the importance of bridging research and advocacy to strengthen children's rights in the digital world. The session also acknowledged the UK's regulatory advancements, such as the Age Appropriate Design Code, as a potential model for other countries to adopt while recognising gaps in addressing children's rights comprehensively.
Colette Collins-Walsh, Head of UK Affairs at 5Rights Foundation, highlighted the relevance of the topics explored. She noted how they resonate with ongoing policy conversations, particularly regarding digital inclusion and children's rights. She stressed the value of partnerships, drawing on the work of the DFC to inform and support advocacy efforts.
Professor Sonia Livingstone expanded on the collective effort required to address the complexities of the digital environment, emphasising the need for collaboration across academic, advocacy and policy communities. She introduced the DFC's open-access research database as a resource to share global insights and amplify research from underrepresented regions, especially the Global South.
The session concluded with gratitude for the contributions of all attendees, both in-person and online, and a reminder of the shared commitment to developing research that strengthens children’s rights in the digital environment.
Watch the reflective session here.
Event report authors: Laura Betancourt and Marisa Lyons Longworth