We Need to Keep Kids Safe Online: California has the Solution
We have a Tech Crisis
Every day children are using a digital world that is designed by and for adults, where they are nudged to give up their privacy, offered harmful material, and exposed to risky contacts and behaviors.
To protect Californian children’s privacy and safety online, California State Assembly members Buffy Wicks (D) and Jordan Cunningham (R) have introduced the bipartisan California Age Appropriate Design Code Bill (AB 2273).
With this Bill, California has the chance to lead the way in making the digital world safe for American children.
The digital world California young people and parents want
On March 29 2022, the GoodforMEdia team provided testimony to the State Assembly on how to improve online experiences for young people. Hear more from young people or share your story.
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What would the Kids Code do?
If the California Age Appropriate Design Code were passed into law, companies would have to consider the privacy and protection of children in the design of any digital product or service that children in California are likely to access.
We know the practical impact this can have on children, because the Bill is based on a UK law that has already prompted Silicon Valley’s biggest names to innovate in the best interests of UK children. For instance:
- Google have made SafeSearch the default browsing mode for all under 18s.
- YouTube have turned off autoplay for under 18s and break and bedtime reminders are turned on by default.
- TikTok and Instagram have disabled direct messages between children and adults they do not follow.
- The Google Play Store now prevents under 18s from viewing and downloading apps rated as adult-only.
These are just a handful of changes that will make children’s experience online safer.
Support for the California Age Appropriate Design Code
What people are saying about the Bill
How can I support the California Age Appropriate Design Code?
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News and information
Media inquiries: media@5rightsfoundation.com
Baroness Kidron and Jonathan Haidt: California’s opportunity to shape how world protects children online
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California Code is quickly making its way through the California state legislature
Youth Activist Emma Lembke explains how social media platforms are “setting up [her] generation for failure.”
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Silicon Valley Faces Pressure to Redesign Children’s Online Experience
