Child Online Safety: Minimizing the Risk of Violence, Abuse and Exploitation Online
Top Insights
Geneva: Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development;ITU;UNESCO (2019), 82 pp.
Other editions: also published in Portuguese and Spanish
"This report aims to increase the prioritization of child online safety among all the key stakeholders and decision-makers from governments, the private sector, civil society, NGOs, and academia. Its recommendations are actionable and represent a call to collective action. They are based on the knowledge and expertise of major expert groups that have a long-standing commitment and experience in fighting various forms of violence against children online." (Forward, page 7)
Introduction, 13
WHAT DOES SAFER LOOK LIKE? 19
A safer child is protected by a robust legal framework, 21
A company culture that actively promotes child safety, 21
To be safer, children must be aware of their rights, 22
The crucial role of education, 22
Ensuring children are safe by design, 23
The role of technology in making children 'safer' online, 24
A summary of 'safer', 25
THE STATE OF CHILDREN ONLINE TODAY, 26
Why we must act now to protect children, 29
The extent of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online, 30
Contact risks: grooming, cyberbullying, stalking and harassment, 31
Content risks: pornography, CSAM, violence, extremism, gaming and gambling, 32
Conduct risks: data misuse, financial abuse and inappropriate behavior, 33
Contract risks: how informed is children's consent online? 34
A summary of the state of children online, 34
OPPORTUNITIES, 36
Artificial intelligence and the fight against child exploitation online, 37
Other emerging technologies, 37
Growing International cooperation, 38
Threats and the threat environment, 39
Gaps in national policies and laws, 41
Cybersecurity laws need modernizing, 41
Lack of accountability systems and mandatory standards, 42
The need to understand and track offenders, 43
A range of threats derived from the misuse of technology, 44
How gaps in technology enable abuse and exploitation, 45
The growth of the darknet, 45
The role of children's social and cultural contexts, 46
The responsibilities of key stakeholders, 46
THE ROLE OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR, 48
RECOMMENDATIONS, 51
MODEL PROVISIONS ON CHILD PROTECTION FOR NATIONAL BROADBAND PLANS, 55
CONCLUSION, 59
CASE STUDIES AND BEST PRACTICES, 62
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child -- Online Child Protection in Rwanda -- Albania: Safer and Better Internet for Children and Youth in Albania -- Philippines: Ending Online Sexual Exploitation of Children in Cebu -- ‘I Click Sensibly’ — Digital Education in Poland -- Peru: Intersectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration to prevent and respond to the reality of online child sexual exploitation in Peru -- Online Child Protection in Vietnam -- Using technology to keep children safe: Facebook’s work with NCMEC
WHAT DOES SAFER LOOK LIKE? 19
A safer child is protected by a robust legal framework, 21
A company culture that actively promotes child safety, 21
To be safer, children must be aware of their rights, 22
The crucial role of education, 22
Ensuring children are safe by design, 23
The role of technology in making children 'safer' online, 24
A summary of 'safer', 25
THE STATE OF CHILDREN ONLINE TODAY, 26
Why we must act now to protect children, 29
The extent of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online, 30
Contact risks: grooming, cyberbullying, stalking and harassment, 31
Content risks: pornography, CSAM, violence, extremism, gaming and gambling, 32
Conduct risks: data misuse, financial abuse and inappropriate behavior, 33
Contract risks: how informed is children's consent online? 34
A summary of the state of children online, 34
OPPORTUNITIES, 36
Artificial intelligence and the fight against child exploitation online, 37
Other emerging technologies, 37
Growing International cooperation, 38
Threats and the threat environment, 39
Gaps in national policies and laws, 41
Cybersecurity laws need modernizing, 41
Lack of accountability systems and mandatory standards, 42
The need to understand and track offenders, 43
A range of threats derived from the misuse of technology, 44
How gaps in technology enable abuse and exploitation, 45
The growth of the darknet, 45
The role of children's social and cultural contexts, 46
The responsibilities of key stakeholders, 46
THE ROLE OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR, 48
RECOMMENDATIONS, 51
MODEL PROVISIONS ON CHILD PROTECTION FOR NATIONAL BROADBAND PLANS, 55
CONCLUSION, 59
CASE STUDIES AND BEST PRACTICES, 62
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child -- Online Child Protection in Rwanda -- Albania: Safer and Better Internet for Children and Youth in Albania -- Philippines: Ending Online Sexual Exploitation of Children in Cebu -- ‘I Click Sensibly’ — Digital Education in Poland -- Peru: Intersectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration to prevent and respond to the reality of online child sexual exploitation in Peru -- Online Child Protection in Vietnam -- Using technology to keep children safe: Facebook’s work with NCMEC
