NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – The United Nations is calling for enhanced safeguards to protect children and young people amid the transforming landscape of digital platforms. An upcoming UN issue brief underscores the threats posed by disinformation, hate speech, harassment, artificial intelligence, and online systems driven by attention metrics. It also raises alarms about issues related to personal data, behavioral advertising, and the way algorithms distribute content. The report emphasizes that young users require more robust protections, while still maintaining their access to education, communication channels, and avenues for public involvement online.
Released by the Department of Global Communications ahead of International Youth Day on Aug. 12, the brief notes that over 82% of individuals aged 15 to 24 are internet users worldwide, according to the report. Digital connectivity can broaden opportunities for learning, civic participation, and economic involvement. However, it also exposes young users to potentially harmful material as they develop critical skills to evaluate information. The brief indicates that online threats can impact cognitive, emotional, and social development.
The report categorizes these dangers into three main areas. Technological risks include the misuse of artificial intelligence and other digital tools. Risks related to distribution involve algorithms and disparities in access to trustworthy information. Content-related hazards encompass disinformation, harassment, and hate speech. The UN highlights that these issues often intersect because digital systems influence what users see and how content spreads, with younger audiences facing multiple risks simultaneously due to automated recommendations, data collection, and personalized content features.
Focus Grows on Platform Architecture
The brief also scrutinizes business models reliant on user attention, personal data, and targeted advertising. It states that systems designed for engagement may expose children to extreme content and features that promote repeated usage. Personalized marketing strategies further heighten risks for young users. The report urges technology companies and AI developers to prioritize children’s rights and safety in product development. It also calls for increased accountability of systems that determine what young people encounter online.
Age limits are increasingly part of discussions surrounding social media and child protection. Nonetheless, the UN warns that age restrictions alone cannot fully mitigate online information risks. Digital spaces can serve as platforms for education, social connection, and emotional support. Young people leverage these spaces to generate content, organize campaigns, and participate in public discourse. The brief emphasizes that protective measures should shield children without denying them valuable access to digital tools that facilitate learning, communication, and civic engagement.
Child Safety and AI Development Take Center Stage
The introduction of artificial intelligence adds fresh concerns to the online environment. Secretary-General António Guterres has called for an AI Child Safety Pledge aimed at systems accessible to children. The initiative includes safety testing tailored for children and increased oversight prior to deployment. It also advocates for decisive action against AI-generated sexual images involving minors. The broader UN initiative urges developers to identify, report, and eliminate such content while integrating child safety protections into accessible AI systems.
According to the report, governments, tech firms, advertisers, researchers, educators, and civil society all have vital roles in minimizing digital harms. It also encourages children and young people to participate actively in decision-making processes shaping online environments. The brief applies the UN Global Principles for Information Integrity to issues affecting younger users. Its core message is that the protection of children, the integrity of information, and digital participation should progress hand-in-hand as online platforms and AI systems become increasingly central to daily life.