Latest news with #onlineprotection
Japan Times
a day ago
- Business
- Japan Times
EU states to test age-check app to limit children's access to online services
Five EU countries including France will test an app aimed at preventing children from accessing harmful content online by checking the age of users, the European Commission said Monday. Several European nations have ramped up pressure on the bloc to better protect minors online through more stringent measures, with some going as far as to advocate banning social media for under-15s. On Monday, the commission unveiled the prototype of an age-verification app that Denmark, France, Greece, Italy and Spain will customize to launch national versions within several months. "It will allow users to easily prove they are over 18 years old, protecting children from inappropriate content," EU technology chief Henna Virkkunen told reporters. "It's hard to imagine a world where kids can enter a store to buy alcohol, to go to a nightclub by simply stating that they are old enough, no bouncers, no ID checks, just a simple 'Yes, I am over the age of 18'" Danish digital minister Caroline Stage Olsen said. "That has been the case online for many years," she added alongside Virkkunen, saying the new app would help ensure there were "no more nightclubs without bouncers." The aim is for each member state to develop their own app since they have different rules and may wish to tailor age limits for different services — ranging from porn or gambling sites, to social platforms like Instagram or TikTok. For example, France has set a minimum age of 15 to use social media, greater than the 13 set by the platforms themselves — though it is still waiting for an EU green light for those rules to come into force. The 27-country European Union has some of the world's strictest digital rules to bring Big Tech to heel, with several investigations ongoing into how platforms protect children — or fail to do so. Once the app is available, users would be able to download it from an online store and then use it to verify that they are above the age threshold for accessing a website or platform. But the commission said it will be "further customized" by EU states alongside platforms and users themselves. Stage Olsen said the app could also be used in the real world, for example, customers could use it to prove their age while buying alcohol or cigarettes. Among the bloc's existing legal weaponry is the content moderation law known as the Digital Services Act (DSA), which has strict rules to safeguard children. On Monday, the EU also published recommendations under the DSA to online platforms to ensure the safety of children and prevent their exposure to dangerous behavior. These include removing "addictive" features such as "read receipts" which tell users when an individual has seen their message, making it easier for minors to block or mute users and preventing accounts from downloading or taking screenshots of content. The EU also recommended platforms turn off notifications by default, especially during sleeping hours, limit apps' access to photos or turn off the camera by default. Backed by France and Spain, Greece pushed a proposal in June for how the EU should restrict children's use of online platforms. Politicians are increasingly worried about online risks as rising evidence shows social media and excessive smartphone pose risks to minors' mental and physical health. Denmark, which took charge of the rotating six-month EU presidency in July, has indicated the issue is a key priority and will push the bloc to take further action.
France 24
a day ago
- Business
- France 24
France among EU nations to trial new app to protect minors from online harms
Five EU countries including France will test an app aimed at preventing children from accessing harmful content online by checking users' ages, the European Commission said Monday. Several European nations have ramped up the pressure on the bloc to better protect minors online through more stringent measures, with some going as far as to advocate banning social media for under-15s. On Monday, the commission unveiled the prototype of an age-verification app that Denmark, France, Greece, Italy and Spain will customise to launch national versions within several months. "It will allow users to easily prove they are over 18 years old, protecting children from inappropriate content," EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen told reporters. "It's hard to imagine a world where kids can enter a store to buy alcohol, to go to a nightclub by simply stating that they are old enough, no bouncers, no ID checks, just a simple 'Yes, I am over the age of 18'" Danish digital minister Caroline Stage Olsen said. "That has been the case online for many years," she added alongside Virkkunen, saying the new app would help ensure there were "no more nightclubs without bouncers." The aim is for each member state to develop their own app since they have different rules and may wish to tailor age limits for different services – ranging from porn or gambling sites, to social platforms like Instagram or TikTok. For example, France has set a minimum age of 15 to use social media, greater than the 13 set by the platforms themselves – though it is still waiting for an EU green light for those rules to come into force. The 27-country European Union has some of the world's strictest digital rules to bring Big Tech to heel, with several investigations ongoing into how platforms protect children – or fail to do so. Once the app is available, users would be able to download it from an online store and then use it to verify that they are above the age to access a website or platform. But the commission said it will be "further customised" by EU states alongside platforms and users themselves. Stage Olsen said the app could also be used in the real world, for example, customers could use it to prove their age while buying alcohol or cigarettes. 'Respecting children's rights' Among the bloc's existing legal weaponry is the content moderation law known as the Digital Services Act (DSA), which has strict rules to safeguard children. On Monday, the EU also published recommendations under the DSA to online platforms to ensure the safety of children and prevent their exposure to dangerous behaviour. These include removing "addictive" features such as "read receipts" which tell users when an individual has seen their message, making it easier for minors to block or mute users and preventing accounts from downloading or taking screenshots of content. The EU also recommended platforms turn off notifications by default, especially during sleeping hours, limit apps' access to photos or turn off the camera by default. Backed by France and Spain, Greece pushed a proposal in June for how the EU should restrict children's use of online platforms. Politicians are increasingly worried about online risks as rising evidence shows social media and excessive smartphone pose risks to minors' mental and physical health. Denmark, which took charge of the rotating six-month EU presidency in July, has indicated the issue is a key priority and will push the bloc to take further action.
CNA
2 days ago
- Business
- CNA
Five EU states to test age-check app to protect children online
BRUSSELS: Five EU countries will test an app aimed at preventing children from accessing harmful content online by checking users' ages, the European Commission said on Monday (Jul 14). Several European nations have ramped up the pressure on the bloc to better protect minors online through more stringent measures, with some going as far as to advocate banning social media for under-15s. On Monday, the commission unveiled the prototype of an age-verification app that Denmark, France, Greece, Italy and Spain will customise to launch national versions within several months. "It will allow users to easily prove they are over 18 years old, protecting children from inappropriate content," EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen told reporters. "It's hard to imagine a world where kids can enter a store to buy alcohol, to go to a nightclub by simply stating that they are old enough, no bouncers, no ID checks, just a simple 'Yes, I am over the age of 18'," Danish digital minister Caroline Stage Olsen said. "That has been the case online for many years," she added alongside Virkkunen, saying the new app would help ensure there were "no more nightclubs without bouncers". The aim is for each member state to develop their own app since they have different rules and may wish to tailor age limits for different services - ranging from porn or gambling sites, to social platforms like Instagram or TikTok. For example, France has set a minimum age of 15 to use social media, greater than the 13 set by the platforms themselves - though it is still waiting for an EU green light for those rules to come into force. The 27-country European Union has some of the world's strictest digital rules to bring Big Tech to heel, with several investigations ongoing into how platforms protect children - or fail to do so. Once the app is available, users would be able to download it from an online store and then use it to verify that they are above the age to access a website or platform. But the commission said it will be "further customised" by EU states alongside platforms and users themselves. Stage Olsen said the app could also be used in the real world. For example, customers could use it to prove their age while buying alcohol or cigarettes. "RESPECTING CHILDREN'S RIGHTS" Among the bloc's existing legal weaponry is the content moderation law known as the Digital Services Act (DSA), which has strict rules to safeguard children. On Monday, the EU also published recommendations under the DSA to online platforms to ensure the safety of children and prevent their exposure to dangerous behaviour. These include removing "addictive" features such as "read receipts" which tell users when an individual has seen their message, making it easier for minors to block or mute users and preventing accounts from downloading or taking screenshots of content. The EU also recommended platforms turn off notifications by default, especially during sleeping hours, limit apps' access to photos or turn off the camera by default. Backed by France and Spain, Greece pushed a proposal in June for how the EU should restrict children's use of online platforms. Politicians are increasingly worried about online risks as rising evidence shows social media and excessive smartphone pose risks to minors' mental and physical health. Denmark, which took charge of the rotating six-month EU presidency in July, has indicated the issue is a key priority and will push the bloc to take further action.
The Verge
20-06-2025
- Business
- The Verge
Posted Jun 20, 2025 at 6:31 AM EDT 0 Comments
Australia says its 'technically feasible' to age-gate social media. The preliminary findings of Australia's Age Assurance Technology Trial 'didn't find a single ubiquitous solution' for the country's incoming social media ban for under-16s, but trial director Tony Allen said there's little stopping services like Facebook, Instagram, and X from implementing existing age-verification methods like facial scans, behavior assessments, and parental controls. With so many other countries also trying to enforce online age restrictions, you'd think Australia could have just asked?
BBC News
30-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
The police job that is beyond the stuff of nightmares
David Murray's office has a warning on its door: "Please be aware: child sexual abuse material being viewed in this room."The detective constable spends hours examining pictures and watching videos, the worst of which are beyond the stuff of puts himself through it because he knows the job is father of two young boys admits it takes its toll, yet he wishes he had started the job far earlier in his policing career to make a says it's worth it, because every week he and his colleagues are identifying young victims, and protecting them from further this week, Police Scotland invited BBC Scotland News to witness its work demonstrating the change in offending behaviour since the Covid pandemic, revealing that paedophiles were making direct contact with children online within 30 seconds of trying. 'On our doorstep' David was the first victim identification officer to work with Police Scotland's national child abuse investigation four years, he now has three colleagues and an ever increasing unit is conducting 700 inquiries a year and executing 15 to 20 search warrants every week, seizing dozens of devices from the homes of job of the victim identification officers is to examine images and footage found on these phones and laptops, to try to find children who've been to Interpol, online child sexual abuse is one of the rare crime areas where police officers start with the evidence and work their way back to the crime images are found, the victim identification specialists take over, combing through the images with the objective of removing the child from harm and arresting the their workload is increasing as fast as they can get through says: "Four years ago we were identifying approximately 25 to 30 victims a year. We're doing more than ten times that now."Shockingly, the victims are close to home."Last year we identified nearly 400 victims and 90% of those children are from Scotland."When I started, I thought it was a problem that was far away, but it's on our doorstep. It's children in our community." Horrifying contrast The contents of the devices are uploaded to the UK-wide child abuse image they've been discovered before, they don't have to be viewed again, but if they're new, they're classed as "first generation" images and checked by David and his grim reality of that is that much of the abuse takes place within households where the perpetrator knows the means devices can include pictures of normal family life, providing a horrifying contrast to the images of abuse and vital information for the detectives."Essentially we start looking for clues in the pictures as to where this footage was taken, things like plug sockets or bits of clothing, maybe school uniforms and football strips, anything that would perhaps indicate where the child lives," says David."A lot of our identifications are made from non-indecent images." One victim was recently traced in Glasgow after a detective recognised a water tower in the background of a are taken to safeguard children who've been identified, in conjunction with outside agencies such as social most extreme images and videos viewed by David and his colleagues plumb the depths of depravity. He agrees they have to switch off their own Scotland monitors the wellbeing of officers in this type of work and there are strict rules to limit how much time they spend looking at the not allowed to view it in the first or last hour of their shift, and one day a week is spent working from home, catching up on admin and emails."It's just a case of prioritising and laying out your day," David says. "We start with a briefing every morning and we've got quite a substantial workload, and we just work our way through it the best we can."There are wellbeing measures in place and talking to counsellors and other people about what you're feeling and seeing can help unlock things."Every week he and his colleagues walk past that warning on their office doors."We are reviewing footage of something that's already happened to these children," says David."But when we identify them and put the safeguarding measures in place, that's the most satisfying part of the job."I used to work in other areas of policing, like serious and organised crime and drug enforcement but I can honestly say that now kind of pales into insignificance."It doesn't compare to putting measures in place to make a child safe."
