A coalition of United Nations bodies warned that AI is accelerating online harms against children and urged governments and tech firms to adopt child‑centered safeguards. In a joint statement, agencies cited a surge in technology‑facilitated abuse and exploitation, including AI‑generated deepfakes and targeted grooming, and flagged widespread “AI illiteracy” among parents, teachers and policymakers. The Childlight Global Child Safety Institute reported U.S. tech‑facilitated abuse cases jumped from 4,700 in 2023 to more than 67,000 in 2024. Regulators are moving: Australia has banned social‑media accounts for under‑16s, and Malaysia, the U.K., France and Canada are weighing similar restrictions. The UN called for transparent, accountable AI; stronger data‑protection rules; bias mitigation; and meaningful inclusion of children’s voices in policy and system design, alongside environmental considerations. Tech companies, it said, must build with children in mind, though officials stressed “responsible deployment of AI” can coexist with growth and profits.
Related articles:
– Better Internet for Kids (BIK+) strategy
– UNESCO guidance on generative AI in education and research
– NCMEC CyberTipline: reporting child sexual exploitation
