NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – The United Nations is urging stronger protections for children and young people as digital platforms reshape how they receive information. A new UN issue brief highlights risks from disinformation, hate speech, harassment, artificial intelligence and attention-driven online systems. It also points to concerns involving personal data, behavioral advertising and algorithmic distribution. The report says younger users need stronger safeguards while keeping access to education, communication and public participation online.
The Department of Global Communications released the brief ahead of International Youth Day on Aug. 12. More than 82% of people ages 15 to 24 use the internet worldwide, according to the report. Digital access can expand opportunities for learning, civic engagement and economic participation. At the same time, young users may encounter harmful material while still developing skills to judge information. The brief says online risks can affect cognitive, emotional and social development.
The report divides those risks into three broad areas. Technology-related threats include misuse of artificial intelligence and other digital tools. Distribution risks include algorithms and unequal access to reliable information. Content risks include disinformation, harassment and hate speech. The UN says these problems can interact because digital systems influence what users see and how widely content spreads. Younger audiences can face several risks at once when platforms combine automated recommendations, data collection and personalized content.
Platform design draws closer attention
The brief also examines business models that depend on user attention, personal data and targeted advertising. It says engagement-focused systems can expose children to extreme material and features that encourage repeated use. Personalized marketing can add another layer of risk for younger audiences. The report calls on technology companies and AI developers to put children’s rights and safety into product design. It also urges greater accountability around systems that shape what young people see online.
Age restrictions have become part of the wider debate over social media and child safety. The UN says age limits alone cannot address the full range of online information risks. Digital spaces can also provide education, social connection and emotional support. Young people use them to create content, organize campaigns and take part in public debate. The brief says safeguards should protect children without removing useful access to digital services that support learning, communication and participation.
AI safety becomes part of child protection push
Artificial intelligence is adding new concerns to the online environment. Secretary-General António Guterres has called for an AI Child Safety Pledge covering systems that children can access. The proposed approach includes child-specific safety testing and stronger oversight before deployment. It also seeks firm action against AI-generated sexual images involving children. The broader UN effort calls on developers to identify, report and remove such material while building child safety protections into accessible AI systems.
The report says governments, technology companies, advertisers, researchers, educators and civil society all have roles in reducing digital harms. It also calls for children and young people to take part in decisions that shape online spaces. The brief applies the UN Global Principles for Information Integrity to issues affecting younger users. Its central message is that child safety, information integrity and digital participation should advance together as online platforms and AI systems become more important in daily life.