On Sunday, February 9, the world celebrated Safer Internet Day, an annual event that aims to make the Internet a safer and more responsible environment for everyone, with a focus on the protection of children and adolescents. The second day of the second week of February is often when this event occurs. It explains how each of us can help create a better, safer online community and provides an opportunity to focus on the positive uses of technology. Children, parents, educators, social workers, law enforcement, businesses, legislators and others are all encouraged to collaborate to improve the Internet. Each year, a theme addressing current issues and advancements in the digital realm is chosen to commemorate Safer Internet Day.
International legislative frameworks such as the EU General Data Protection Regulation aim to secure personal data with special protections for minors. Social networks have age restrictions, usually a minimum of 13, and require parental consent for users under 16 to comply with these regulations and increase security.
Age verification remains a big problem as companies try to balance security and user privacy. By monitoring activity and determining age, artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies can prevent children from viewing objectionable content or participating in harmful online activities.
To protect their young users, social media companies like TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat have implemented strict measures. These include content filters, privacy settings that restrict public viewing, and tools to block unsolicited messages from strangers. In an effort to protect children from inappropriate content, TikTok only allows users who are at least 18 years old to start live streaming. Instagram maintains the privacy of young users' accounts by enforcing rules prohibiting people over 19 from sending direct messages to children under 18. By limiting messages to connected people and maintaining private friend lists, Snapchat reduces social pressure.
Supervised modes are available on smartphones and apps, allowing parents to monitor and manage the content their children can access. Filtering specific words in searches is one of them. For example, YouTube is restricted to users who are at least 18 years old, but offers YouTube Kids as a substitute for younger viewers. With options like time limits and app usage periods, devices can further restrict access.
Improving Internet safety for all users is the ultimate goal if protecting children is the main goal of Safer Internet Day. This day reminds all users, regardless of age, of the continued efforts needed to ensure that the Internet continues to be a space of creativity, opportunity and safety. Since no software can completely replace parental supervision and guidance, it is ultimately the duty of parents to talk to their children about the possible dangers of social media. In response to emerging risks and the growing need for comprehensive online security, these platforms are continually improving their security protocols.
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