Debates on Day 2 at the Internet Governance Forum addressed in various way issues of children’s rights to protection, provision and participation. A main session in the morning was dedicated to a multistakeholder perspective on the Global Digital Compact (GDC) addressing both the process and the content of the Compact that has been developed so far. The GDC’s objective is to ensure that digital technologies are used responsibly and for the benefit of all. In this session the youth representative in the process, Omar, outlined that as the only child at the table of the deliberations he took responsibility to bring in the perspective of his generation. He strongly emphasized the need for substantive developments on how to hold the private sector accountable for its role in the digital world and ensure it protects the rights and the interests of children and young people.
Later that day a series of sessions dealing with Artificial Intelligence and its impact on children started with WS #469 AI & Child Rights: Implementing UNICEF Policy Guidance.
First Steven Vosloo set the scene outlining how the UNICEF Policy Guidance has been developed. Eventually he stated “It is easy to define guidance on AI in line with children’s rights, but it is difficult to apply or implement it.”
Then the debate circled around embedding children’s rights in industry strategies for AI, inclusion of children in the whole circle of product design and governments supporting transparent interaction between stakeholders involved strengthening their accountability.
A key take-away from the session is to acknowledge AI has already a huge impact on children’s lives and well-being, so the journey to getting things rights needs to start immediately. Afterwards, it seemed like this message had already been heard by the speakers in the following main session on Artifical Intelligence.
Thobekile Matimbe, Senior Manager, Partnerships and Engagements Paradigm Initiative emphasized the importance of all stakeholders remaining with agency over fundamental rights and freedoms thus to ensure children’s rights are promoted in the use of AI.
The day ended with more concrete examples how industry engagement and regulation can work together to improve child online safety in Open Forum #58. While a new Japanese law is built on raising awareness for parents and children on Online risks and obligations for service providers to block child sexual abuse material Albert Antwi-Boasiako, Director-General, Cyber Security Authority Republic of Ghana described their approach of collaborative regulation. There is consensus that self-regulation alone cannot keep the children safe, and there are models of industry engagement for the protection of children. Ghana brought into force their Cybersecurity Act which was developed in dialogue with industry and then they have been acquiring allies for implementation of the Act. A concept that looks kind of in line with the Amendment to the German Youth Protection Act of 2021.
Eventually the session concluded with Dunstan Allison-Hope, Vice President, Human Rights, BSR (Business for Social Responsibility) asking for companies voluntarily embedding child rights impact assessments should in the broader framework of human rights due diligence.
In the event #403 Safe Digital Futures for Children: Aligning Global Agendas, the vast majority of participants were of the opinion that self-regulation by services is no longer sufficient to protect young people online. In order to achieve global legislation, leaders from Australia, Ireland, South Africa, South Korea, the UK and Fiji have joined together in a global network of online safety regulators. Together, they are striving to make rules that apply offline also effective online. A youth representative of the Digital Youth Council demanded that this should not be implemented without the perspectives of young people.