NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – According to a United Nations report, online risks are increasingly impacting children and youth, prompting calls for enhanced protective measures as digital platforms alter their information consumption methods. The new UN issue brief underscores dangers such as disinformation, hate speech, harassment, artificial intelligence, and attention-driven online systems. It raises concerns over the handling of personal data, behavioral advertising, and algorithmic content distribution. The document emphasizes that younger users require more robust safeguards while maintaining access to online education, communication, and civic participation.
Releasing the brief ahead of International Youth Day on Aug. 12, The Department of Global Communications states that over 82% of people aged 15 to 24 utilize the internet globally, according to the report. Digital connectivity offers expanded learning, civic engagement, and economic opportunities. However, it also exposes young users to potentially harmful content while they are still developing critical skills to evaluate information sources. The brief notes that these online hazards can influence cognitive, emotional, and social growth.
The report categorizes these threats into three main groups. Technology-related risks include the misuse of artificial intelligence and other digital tools. Distribution risks involve algorithms and disparities in access to trustworthy information. Content risks encompass disinformation, harassment, and hate speech. The UN highlights that these issues can interact, as digital systems affect what users see and how content spreads. When platforms combine automated recommendations, data collection, and personalized content, young audiences can face multiple risks simultaneously.
Focus Grows on Platform Design and Its Impact
The brief further explores business models that rely on capturing user attention, personal data, and targeted advertising. Such engagement-driven systems may expose children to extreme content and features that promote repeated usage. Personalized marketing adds another layer of concern for young users. The report urges technology companies and AI developers to embed children’s rights and safety into their product design and emphasizes the need for increased accountability regarding the systems that influence what young people see online.
Age restrictions have become part of the broader discussion on social media and child safety. The UN notes that setting age limits alone cannot fully address the wide array of risks associated with online information. Digital platforms can also serve as spaces for education, social connection, and emotional support. Children use these spaces to produce content, organize campaigns, and participate in public debates. The brief advocates for safeguards that shield children without depriving them of valuable access to digital tools that foster learning, communication, and civic engagement.
AI Child Safety Measures Integrate into Child Protection Initiatives
Emerging concerns about artificial intelligence are adding new dimensions to online safety discussions. Secretary-General António Guterres has called for an AI Child Safety Pledge that prioritizes systems accessible to children. The initiative proposes child-specific safety testing and stronger oversight before deployment, aiming to prevent AI-generated sexual images involving minors. The broader UN strategy urges developers to identify, report, and remove such harmful content, while integrating child safety protections into accessible AI systems.
The report stresses that governments, tech companies, advertisers, researchers, educators, and civil society all share responsibility in reducing digital harms. It also advocates for children and young people to be actively involved in decisions shaping online environments. Applying the UN Global Principles for Information Integrity, the brief underscores that child safety, information integrity, and digital participation must progress hand-in-hand as online platforms and AI systems become more integral to daily life.