NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – The United Nations is emphasizing the need for enhanced protections for children and young people as digital platforms continue to transform how they access information. A recent UN issue brief highlights dangers such as disinformation, hate speech, harassment, artificial intelligence, and online systems driven by attention. It also raises concerns related to personal data, behavioral advertising, and algorithmic content distribution. The report underscores that younger users require increased safeguards while maintaining access to education, communication, and public participation through the internet.
Ahead of International Youth Day on Aug. 12, the Department of Global Communications issued the brief. According to the report, over 82% of individuals aged 15 to 24 are internet users worldwide. While digital connectivity can broaden opportunities for learning, civic engagement, and economic involvement, young users may also be exposed to harmful content before they develop sufficient judgment skills. The brief states that online risks can impact cognitive, emotional, and social growth.
These risks are categorized into three main areas: technology-related threats, distribution risks, and content risks. Threats include the misuse of artificial intelligence and other digital tools; distribution issues involve algorithms and unequal access to trustworthy information; and content risks encompass disinformation, harassment, and hate speech. The UN notes that these issues often intertwine because digital systems influence what users see and how content spreads, with younger audiences potentially facing multiple hazards simultaneously when platforms combine automated suggestions, data collection, and personalized content.
Focus Shifts Toward Platform Design
The brief also considers business models that rely heavily on user attention, personal data, and targeted advertising. Such engagement-centric systems can expose children to extreme material and features designed to promote repeated usage. Personalized marketing adds another layer of risk for minors. The report urges technology firms and AI developers to prioritize children’s rights and safety during product creation and calls for increased accountability in systems that influence what young people see online.
Age restrictions have become part of the broader conversation surrounding social media and children’s safety. The UN emphasizes that simply setting age limits cannot fully address the broad spectrum of online information hazards. Digital environments also serve as platforms for education, social bonding, and emotional support. Young users leverage them to produce content, organize campaigns, and engage in public debate. The brief advocates for safeguards that protect children without hindering access to digital tools that facilitate learning, communication, and participation.
AI Safety Becomes Central to Child Protection
Artificial intelligence introduces new concerns in the online realm. Secretary-General António Guterres has called for an AI Child Safety Pledge that covers systems accessible to children. The initiative includes child-specific safety testing and stricter oversight prior to deployment. It also aims to take decisive action against AI-generated sexual images involving children. The broader UN initiative encourages developers to identify, report, and remove such content while integrating child protection measures into accessible AI systems.
The report stresses that governments, tech companies, advertisers, researchers, educators, and civil society all have roles to play in reducing digital harms. It also calls for children and young people to participate in decisions shaping online environments. Applying the UN Global Principles for Information Integrity, the brief highlights that child safety, information accuracy, and digital engagement should progress hand-in-hand as online platforms and AI become more embedded in daily life.