UK's 15-Point Children's Online Safety Code Fuels Digital Rights Debate

A recent tweet from Louis Anslow has ignited discussion regarding the work of Baroness Beeban Kidron, a prominent figure in digital policy, questioning her designation as a "Digital rights campaigner" given concerns that her initiatives may curtail digital freedoms for adults. The tweet, which states, > "Why are we calling Beeban Kidron a 'Digital rights campaigner' - when she is on a crusade to take away digital rights from most adults in the free world?", highlights a growing tension between online safety advocacy and broader digital liberties.

Baroness Kidron, a crossbench peer and founder of the 5Rights Foundation, has primarily focused her efforts on establishing robust online protections for children. Her work culminated in the UK's Age Appropriate Design Code, often referred to as the Children's Code, which outlines 15 standards for digital services to ensure child safety. Kidron argues that the digital world, designed largely for adults, often treats children as such, stating, "if you treat everyone equally – then de facto you treat a child as if they are an adult."

The Children's Code mandates measures such as setting privacy settings to the highest level by default for underage users and curbing "dopamine loops" – addictive design features like constant notifications, likes, and shares. These regulations aim to create a safer online environment for minors, influencing tech giants to implement changes like private accounts for under-16s on Instagram and notification curfews for teenagers on TikTok. Kidron views these as essential steps toward product safety for children in the digital sphere.

However, critics, including some digital rights advocates like the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), express concerns that such broad regulations could inadvertently impact adult users. Arguments suggest that strict age verification processes and default privacy settings might lead to a "walled garden" internet, potentially infringing on adult privacy and freedom of expression. The debate centers on whether measures designed for child protection could lead to a more restrictive online experience for all.

Baroness Kidron refutes the notion that her work undermines adult digital rights, clarifying that her initiatives constitute a "data protection code" and a "design code," not a framework for content censorship or general adult restriction. She emphasizes that her focus is on preventing the exploitation of children and ensuring product safety in the digital realm, distinguishing her approach from more controlling legislative proposals seen in some US states. Her advocacy continues to influence online safety discussions globally, with similar codes emerging in places like California.