Speaking Up for Change

In addition, despite proposing different strategies, both groups saw themselves as those most responsible for online safety, with both children and caregivers tending to underestimate the responsibility of technology companies and governments. Children’s voices matter Children’s voices are essential to shaping policies that protect them online. [...] They are asking for knowledge and appropriate tools to navigate the online world safely. [...] However, as is consistent with other studies, many children reported that their caregivers were not fully aware of their online activities and preferred to keep certain aspects private. [...] When asked about online safety, children referred to personal safety and personal data security. [...] Children seemed to be in favour of online safety measures that prioritise their protection without compromising their privacy, leaning towards safety-by-design approaches such as measures that prevent them from seeing inappropriate content online, automatic filters for friendship and message requests, and the ability to easily block and report content. [...] Parental supervision was welcomed to some extent, but in the context of the children’s desire for privacy regarding their online experiences, they emphasised the need for clear boundaries. Protecting online safety while preventing and combatting child sexual abuse online When engaging children in discussions about online safety and privacy, children did not explicitly mention specific issues [...] This highlights the immense burden of responsibility that falls on caregivers, who feel they cannot trust online safety measures to contribute and protect their children from harm. [...] When asked about caregivers’ strategies to ensure children are safe online, they primarily mentioned parental-control tools, even though two-thirds of the caregivers included in our study said they did not use parental-control apps. The second most common strategy mentioned by caregivers was talking with children about their online experiences and providing advice on how to prevent risk. Careg [...] Legislative and regulatory measures are key to fostering a culture of collective responsibility and to safeguarding the online well-being of every child. [...] We call on online platforms to: • Assess the risks children face when using their platforms and adopt safety measures accordingly; • Create secure digital environments for children in which their online safety is closely interlinked to the protection of their personal data and information; • Adopt a safety-by-design approach by ensuring accessible and child-friendly safety and privacy