United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said the harms children face in digital spaces – from addictive design features to privacy violations – were not inevitable, but the result of deliberate business choices.
‘Addictive Features’
“Online harms to children’s safety, privacy and well-being are the result of design choices and business practices that undermine safety, including Addictive design features like infinite scrolling, autoplay and persistent notifications,” said.
The guidelines, titled How to Get Kids Safe Online RightThey come as age-based social media restrictions proliferate around the world.
Australia banned children under 16 from accessing the platforms in December 2025, followed by Indonesia and Malaysia, and more than a dozen other countries are considering similar measures.
Türk warned that such bans can be easily circumvented and risk pushing children into riskier, less monitored spaces. “Simply limiting access to platforms that remain insecure cannot be the end point,” he said.
Peggy Hicks, Director of Thematic Engagement and Special Procedures at OHCHR, said technology companies now face a clear choice.
“Change the way their platforms are designed and operated to better protect children’s rights and safety, or be forced to do so through increasingly restrictive legislation and regulatory fines,” he told reporters in Geneva.
The guidelines call for safety to be built into the platform architecture from the beginning, rather than leaving parents and children to manage risks themselves.
They also recommend mandatory child rights impact assessments, strictly regulated age verification to protect against privacy risks, and meaningful consultation with children themselves when developing regulatory responses.
Ms Hicks highlighted that the rapidly evolving digital landscape – including the rise of artificial intelligence and chatbots – made agile, evidence-based policymaking essential. “We need to gather evidence and adapt quickly to what we learn,” he said.
Full guidelines are available from OHCHR here. You can watch a video statement from High Commissioner Türk here.