What can tech companies do to keep kids safe online? The Biden-Harris Administration’s Kids Online Health and Safety Task Force recently released a comprehensive report with key recommendations for kids to have safer experiences online and on social media. With input from youth advocates, civil society organizations, and academic researchers, the report lays out what parents, caregivers, and the tech industry can do to address the ongoing youth mental health crisis. Let’s discuss the report’s recommendations for Big Tech and what that means for parents today.
The Kids Online Health and Safety Task Force was established in 2023 as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s broader effort to address the ongoing youth mental health crisis. While social media and technology haven’t caused the crisis, evidence suggests that the increasing prevalence of digital technology in children’s lives has exacerbated the issue — to the point that the U.S. Surgeon General has called for warning labels on social media, much like the ones you see on tobacco and alcohol products.
Co-led by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the Task Force aims to advance the health, safety, and privacy of minors online.
The report, titled “Online Health and Safety for Children and Youth: Best Practices for Families and Guidance for Industry,” is a detailed analysis of both the risks and benefits that social media and digital platforms pose to our kids.
While digital technology can enhance education and social connection, it also exposes young users to serious dangers, including cyberbullying, misinformation, and exploitation. The report stresses the need for protective measures that safeguard kids’ mental and physical well-being. Some of those measures will require broader regulation at the federal level, like what we see happening with the Kids Online Safety Act. Other measures can (and should) be implemented sooner rather than later.
The report outlines 10 key recommendations for Big Tech companies to foster safer online environments for kids — here’s a high-level overview:
We hear a lot about the need for parents to protect their children online. While it’s true that parents can and should use monitoring tools and child safety apps to guide, protect, and support their kids online, it does parents a disservice to place the burden of accountability solely on them. A lot of parental control settings are difficult to find on devices and apps. It’s common sense that children should have the highest privacy settings enabled by default. And major tech companies have shown time and time again that they aren’t capable of putting children’s best interests ahead of their bottom line.
By designing platforms with youth in mind, companies can protect children from the adverse effects of social media, such as exposure to harmful content and addictive features. These changes can also promote a healthier digital environment where children can benefit from technology without falling victim to features that compromise their well-being. But in order to make these changes happen, tech companies must move forward with these recommendations.
While the tech industry plays a crucial role, parents also have a part in ensuring their children’s online safety today. Parents should:
Kids deserve a safer digital environment, but they’re growing up in a digital world that wasn’t designed with their best interests in mind. Tech companies should take a stronger stance on child online safety, but these changes take time — which is why it’s important for parents to stay informed and involved today.
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