{"id":8174,"date":"2020-03-20T10:39:38","date_gmt":"2020-03-20T10:39:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dataethics.eu\/?p=8174"},"modified":"2020-03-20T10:40:14","modified_gmt":"2020-03-20T10:40:14","slug":"us-and-uk-might-fix-the-internet-for-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dataethics.eu\/da\/us-and-uk-might-fix-the-internet-for-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"The US and UK Might Fix the Internet for Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"

The internet was never designed with the best interest of the child in mind. Now it is time to fix it! <\/span><\/p>\n

This seems to be the philosophy behind to law proposals in the US and the UK. In the spring of 2019 the Age Appropriate Design Code <\/a><\/span>was sent in hearing in the UK. In January 2020, the <\/span>Information Commissioner\u2019s Office published the final version. That is a set of 15 standards<\/a> that online services should meet to protect children\u2019s privacy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Last week the US followed suit, when <\/span>The Kids Internet Design and Safety Ac<\/span><\/i><\/a>t was introduced by Sens. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) on Thursday March 5th. If the bill is approved, it will force companies like Google-owned YouTube and Chinese ByteDance-owned TikTok to completely change how they treat children\u2019s content on their platforms. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEverything from ads, app design, and some kinds of harmful content would see new limitations when a child under the age of 16 uses the platform<\/em>\u201d, writes The Verge.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Senator Markey states that: \u201cPowerful companies push kids to buy products at every turn online, and<\/em> top platforms are saturated with disturbing content that no kid should ever be exposed to.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

But what then do they want to do about it? <\/span><\/p>\n

Well, a lot according to the draft bill <\/a><\/span>that starts out proclaiming:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cChildren increasingly consume digital entertainment on the internet and are uniquely susceptible to manipulation online, given their lack of important neurological and psychological mechanisms which are developed later in adulthood,<\/span><\/i>\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

And that today\u2019s media environment is: <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c..<\/span>largely designed in non-transparent ways to ensure children interact with content that reflect the interests and goals of content creators, platforms, and marketers<\/span><\/i>\u201d. Companies \u201c<\/span>personalize content in order to increase engagement.\u201d<\/span><\/i> Just as they \u201c<\/span>employ sophisticated strategies, including neuromarketing, to affect consumer behavior and manipulate decision-making<\/span><\/i>\u201d. <\/span><\/p>\n

In order words: Children are being manipulated and need protection! It should be unlawful for an operator of a platform directed to children to incorporate any of the following features:<\/span><\/p>\n