IGF 2024 Open Forum #6 Promoting tech companies to ensure children's online safety

The purpose of this forum is to explore how tech companies can effectively fulfill their responsibilities for protecting children online while pursuing technological innovation. In order to promote responsible technological innovation for serving children, various levels of government in China have introduced multiple laws and regulations for the protection of minors online, such as the Law on Protection of Personal Information, the ”online protection” section of the Law on Protection of Minors and the Regulations on the Protection of Minors Online. In 2021, UNICEF released the 2.0 version of its global policy guide "Artificial Intelligence for Children - Policy Guidelines," which includes responsible artificial intelligence principles for children. How to promote tech companies implementing the responsibility of protecting children online in technological innovation is the main focus of this forum. The forum plans to invite policymakers, industry practitioners, academic researchers, and social workers in the field of child online protection to engage in a dialogue. By fully integrating industry, academia, research, and social opinions, the forum aims to provide recommendations for responsible technological innovation for children. Firstly, the forum will mainly discuss the following three aspects: (1) How can tech companies ensure that their technological innovations do not have negative impacts on children's online safety and privacy while pursuing technological innovation? This involves designing safer and more child-friendly tech products and services, as well as fully considering the special needs and rights of children in the innovation process. (2) How should tech companies formulate and implement effective policies and measures for child online protection? This includes developing clear child online protection policies, establishing dedicated child online protection teams, and ensuring the safety and health of children when using internet products through technical means and manual review. (3) How to raise awareness of child online protection among tech companies and the general public? This includes enhancing tech companies' awareness and sense of responsibility for child online protection through publicity and education activities, as well as increasing public attention and participation in child online protection issues to create a safer and healthier online environment together. Secondly, challenges and opportunities related to the topic of this forum are as follows: On one hand, with the rapid development of technology, child online protection needs to continuously adapt to new threats and vulnerabilities. This requires tech companies to not only focus on technological innovation but also strengthen research and defense against emerging online threats. Tech companies may also consider adopting international standards and principles such as Responsible Innovation in Technology for Children (RITEC) or Safety-by-Design when pursuing children’s online safety. Currently, laws, regulations, and policies related to child online protection need to quickly adapt to the pace of technological development. This requires tech companies to actively cooperate with governments, social organizations, etc., to promote the improvement of relevant regulations and policies while innovating. Improving parents' and children's own awareness of online security is a long-term and challenging task. Tech companies need to consider user education in product design and conduct public welfare activities to raise public awareness of online security. On the other hand, technological innovation provides new solutions for child online protection. For example, through technologies such as artificial intelligence, bearing in mind the principles of the UNICEF Policy Guidance on AI for Children, it is possible to more effectively identify and prevent the spread of harmful information, thus protecting children's online safety. As global attention to child online protection increases, governments and private sector will invest more resources in supporting the research and application of relevant technologies to ensure safe technology products and access to Internet. This provides tech companies with tremendous market opportunities as it shows companies‘ actively fulfilling the responsibility of child online protection helps to enhance their sense of social responsibility and brand image. This not only strengthens the competitiveness of enterprises but also attracts more socially responsible users and partners. In summary, tech companies face both challenges and opportunities in fulfilling their responsibility for child online protection through technological innovation. By overcoming challenges in technology, regulations, and user’s awareness, while seizing opportunities in technological innovation, policy support, and social responsibility, companies can play a greater role in protecting children's online safety while achieving their own sustainable development. Agenda (60 Min): 1. (2 Min) The moderator introduced the theme and purpose of the forum and introduced the participants. 2. (8 Min) Organizers or child protection experts share the case call for responsible technology innovations for children that UNICEF and CFIS launched this year. 3. (20 Min) The onsite speakers share their views. Topics to be addressed include but are not limited to: (1) The balance between scientific and technological innovation and children's online protection. (2) Formulate and implement effective child online protection policies and measures. (3) Raise the awareness of Internet enterprises and the public on children's online protection. 4. (10 Min) Online speakers share their views. Topics to be addressed include but are not limited to: (1) The experience and measures of well-known Internet companies in different countries on child online protection. (2) What good policies, regulations or standards exist in different countries to promote responsible scientific and technological innovation for children. 5. (10Min) Representative Internet companies share their experiences and practices in responsible technology innovation for children. 6. (8 Min) Open discussion and Q&A: all participants onsite and online will have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss their viewpoints, and speakers will answer these questions. 7. (2 Min) The moderator will deliver the closing remarks.

(1) As a hybrid forum, there are both onsite speakers and attendees, as well as online speakers and attendees. In order to attract more attendees, we will invite and encourage people to participate online through Zoom meeting software. The onsite and online moderators will closely cooperate and be responsible for activating the atmosphere of onsite and online discussions, respectively. The online moderator will collect online questions in a timely manner and convey them to the onsite moderator to ensure smooth communication between the onsite and online attendees. (2) Multiple volunteers will be arranged onsite for video filming to ensure that each speaker's speech video can be live streamed online through Zoom. The moderator and speakers onsite can see the online participants' questions in real-time through the LED screen on site. The online moderator interacts with online attendees, promptly pushing meaningful questions through the screen to the moderator or speakers onsite, and strictly controlling the speaking time to ensure the participation of each speaker and the progress of the forum. In addition, we will promote the forum in advance so that online participants can prepare questions and relevant materials in advance, which may facilitate more interesting discussions onsite. (3) The organizer will design and create graphic and textual links, promotional posters, etc. around the theme of the forum, and spread them through social media platforms such as WeChat, Twitter, and Facebook to attract more attendees and stimulate everyone's thinking in advance, creating an atmosphere of joint participation.