The Digital Child Newsletter - 11th July
Edited by Luke Taylor
Big News:
The incoming Spanish digital porn passport
Singapore’s app stores will soon require age verification
Australia’s six month deadline to tech companies for better online protections
Spain:
The Porn Passport: Spain is on the verge of implementing a new digital age-verification system, colloquially termed the 'pajaporte' (Paja in Spanish is masturbation) aimed at restricting minors' access to online pornography. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to protect children from the harmful effects of explicit content and aligns with increasing global concerns about digital safety for minors.
Under this system, users will need to verify their age through a government-approved process, potentially involving biometric data or digital IDs.
This initiative works within the Spanish government's new Digital Wallet app, officially named the Digital Wallet Beta (Cartera Digital Beta). The app will enable internet platforms to verify if someone viewing pornography is of legal age and, beginning later this summer, users will need to confirm their age through the app. Once verified, they will be granted 30 "porn credits," allowing them to access explicit content for a month.
Singapore:
What’s (not) in store: Singapore is set to implement a Code of Practice requiring app stores to verify the age of users. The code will mandate app stores to remove apps with explicit content and potentially introduce an age classification scheme for online games. The development of this code will involve industry consultations over the next 12 to 18 months. The government also plans to study the impacts of online gaming and cyber-addiction on children.
Australia:
The deadline is set: The Australian eSafety Commissioner has given the internet industry a six-month deadline to draft new online safety codes to protect children from harmful content such as pornography and material related to suicide and eating disorders. By October 3, 2024, companies must develop standards for age verification, parental controls, and content filtering. This initiative is part of broader efforts to enhance online safety, building on previous regulations for terrorism and child exploitation content.
“Our own research shows that while the average age when Australian children first encounter pornography is around 13, a third of these children are seeing this content younger and often by accident”
Julie Inman Grant, eSafety Commissioner
Big tech:
Major moderators: The European Union (EU) has extended its stringent content moderation rules under the Digital Safety Act (DSA) to include several adult websites, with xnxx.com being one of the latest additions. It’s the fourth porn site to be named a very large online platform (VLOP), after Pornhub, Stripchat and XVideos gained the status in December 2023. The new rules require these platforms to implement comprehensive measures to prevent the dissemination of illegal content, protect minors, and ensure user safety. These measures include mandatory age verification systems, enhanced moderation practices, and transparent reporting mechanisms.
Around the World:
UK:
School mobile bans: This Op-ed highlights the decision that Eton College, a prestigious UK institution, has made to ban smartphones among its students, citing concerns over their detrimental effects on young lives. Headmaster Simon Henderson emphasised the importance of this initiative, noting that excessive smartphone use has been linked to increased anxiety, depression, and poor academic outcomes. The school plans to enforce this ban by restricting phone usage to specific times and places, thereby encouraging students to engage more in face-to-face interactions and focus on their studies.
“This is not an issue of freedoms or rights but one of child protection. Just as we protect children by prohibiting them from smoking, drinking, and having sex, we have a moral duty to protect them from the proven harms of smartphones and social media.”
Miriam Cates
USA:
COPPA strikes: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has reached a $5 million settlement with NGL Labs, the developer of the anonymous messaging app NGL, over allegations of multiple privacy violations. The complaint, jointly filed with the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, claims that NGL violated several laws, including the Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA). The settlement also includes a permanent ban on marketing anonymous messaging apps to children and teens.
"The $5 million financial settlement merits your attention, but it’s the permanent ban on marketing anonymous messaging apps to kids or teens that’s particularly notable"
Bahrain:
Bring on the initiatives: Bahrain is set to launch a national campaign aimed at enhancing the online safety of children. The campaign will focus on raising awareness about cyber threats and promoting responsible internet use among children. It will also involve collaborating with various stakeholders to implement effective measures and guidelines to safeguard children online.
India:
Citizen Digital Foundation Panel: A recent panel discussion emphasised the need for India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA) to hold platforms accountable for child safety. The panel highlighted challenges like engagement-driven algorithms on platforms like YouTube and the unrealistic burden placed on parents for monitoring online activities. Experts suggested that techno-legal solutions and context-specific content moderation are essential, along with robust parental controls and clear accountability for tech companies. Consistent digital regulation is especially needed in India, a country with 28 states, 8 union territories and 1.5 billion people
"Parents are being stretched across an accountability gap that should be shared with the platforms that deliver harmful content to kids, and better policed by governments."
Top Tweets:
Laila Mickelwait on X: "TAKEDOWN reveals the never-before-told inside story of how P*rnhub was exposed for enabling and profiting from countless videos of child rape and trafficking.
Miriam Cates on X: "Eton has banned smartphones; grades will improve. But the negative impacts of smartphones and social media on children and our future extend far beyond education. Why aren’t politicians taking notice? A 🧵1/8
FTND on X: "To address the issue of CSEM online, it is crucial to understand its prevalence and the factors contributing to it, including extreme pornography.
This is a great newsletter! A brilliant way to get international updates on this vitally important topic and really well written too.