New Report from Kids Online Health and Safety Task Force Reinforces CDT Recommendations for Youth Safety Online

Last week, the Biden-Harris Administration’s Kids Online Health and Safety Task Force released a comprehensive report with recommendations on how to keep youth safe online. This task force, co-led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, thoughtfully addressed critical issues related to youth health, safety, and privacy online. 

The report echoes some of CDT’s recent research findings on child safety online, and its recommendations align with some of the principles and strategies we have outlined to enhance and strengthen online safety for young users. 

Privacy Protections for Youth as Default

The task force’s report recommends that industry partners make privacy protections for youth the default setting. We support this approach. One of our research recommendations was for social media platforms to default youth accounts as private and with limited discoverability, while allowing users to select a public profile when desired. Privacy as default provides users with both a safety net and the agency to change settings as desired.

Tools to Manage and Minimize Unwanted Interactions

The report calls for the development and deployment of effective mechanisms and strategies to address the serious issue of online harassment and abuse. CDT has recommended specific tools that can help youth manage and mitigate unwanted messages and interactions on digital communication platforms – for example, including “user-side” filtering in which young users can decide for themselves what would be filtered or blocked out. More tools on platforms can empower young people to navigate their online experiences safely and confidently.

Safety Information and Transparency

The task force’s report urges the disclosure of accurate and comprehensive safety-related information. CDT has similarly advocated for “just-in-time” notices that inform users about potential risks and provide practical ways to mitigate them, without overwhelming them with safety information. These timely notifications can be crucial in helping users make informed decisions about their online activities at the right moment. We also recommended that platforms be more transparent about safety protocols and processes, such as providing young users with information about a previously reported message or person.

Engaging Youth in Research

One of the task force’s report’s recommendations for researchers that we strongly support is the importance of “engaging youth” in future research efforts. At CDT, we have also advocated for including youth in research and in conversations about their own safety. Further, in our recent research on child safety we collaborated with young people to learn about their experiences and desires for managing unwanted content and interactions online. Directly including youth in research ensures that the solutions and strategies developed are relevant, effective, and aligned with their lived experience. By understanding their perspectives, we can create a safer and more supportive online environment for them that addresses their needs, but also avoids unnecessary and even harmful restrictive approaches.

Acknowledging the Role of Schools in Youth Privacy and Well-being

The report calls for more research on the effects of educational technology, including student monitoring in schools, specifically with respect to students’ privacy, safety, and well-being. While this is a topic on which CDT has done extensive research and advocacy, more information is always needed as the digital landscape continues to rapidly and seismically shift. Schools are often the first to encounter large-scale manifestations of the risks and harms facing young people online, but limited resources and capacity makes it difficult for them to tackle these issues alone. The task force report provides cogent action items for school districts, industry, and policymakers to work together in developing and implementing resources to help equip students with the knowledge and habits they need to stay safe online.

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We applaud the task force’s effort to provide guidance to parents, researchers, industry, and policymakers, and its step towards a collective effort to enhance online safety and privacy for youth. We are encouraged to see CDT’s research recommendations reflected in this vital work, and remain committed to supporting these ideas in the future. 

The report also sets forth a detailed research agenda to address ongoing gaps in what we know about the effects of digital technology on youth. We agree on the importance of filling those gaps. To help address them, we will be holding an upcoming event dedicated to exploring child safety research and policy. This one-day, in-person symposium will bring together academic and policy experts to cultivate a rich dialogue on critical topics related to kids’ safety online. We look forward to engaging with stakeholders and experts at this event, and producing a publicly-available report that summarizes research findings and ideas that will move us towards creating a safer digital landscape for young users.