Prince Harry launches Global Child Online Safety Toolkit

Prince Harry launches Global Child Online Safety Toolkit

The Duke of Sussex has joined young leaders from around the world to launch the Global Child Online Safety Toolkit, which is based on research by Professor Julia Davidson OBE of the University of East London and the 5Rights Foundation.

Professor Davidson of the University of East London’s Institute for Connected Communities (ICC) in Rwanda collaborated with the 5Rights Foundation, an NGO dedicated to putting children’s rights at the centre of digital design, on the original study for the Rwanda policy toolkit in 2019.

“We are thrilled Prince Harry has endorsed the kit, as well as the United Nations.”

During the launch, the Duke praised the “ground-breaking work” in creating the toolkit and called for a safer digital world for young people.

He said he hoped his children would “never experience the online world as it exists now” and criticised social media companies for making “unimaginable money” from commercialising users’ attention.

Prince Harry stated that the world required new digital rules to safeguard children, similar to those being enacted in California, the European Union, and the United Kingdom. Professor Davidson was a crucial figure in the development of the UK’s Online Safety Bill, which mandates that firms like Facebook protect children and adults from hazardous online content.

The Prince said, “We need new laws. We need public pressure. We need strong leadership.”

Nick Martlew, executive director, 5Rights Foundation, said, “The fantastic young leaders who helped launch the Child Online Safety Toolkit all agreed: they want to enjoy the enormous benefits of the digital world without having to take risks that society would never tolerate offline. The toolkit is a comprehensive how-to guide for governments to make this a reality and respond to their obligation to keep children safe online.”

Representatives from the United Nations, the African Union, and the European Union, as well as young people aged 13 to 21, from countries such as South Africa, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Malaysia, were also present at the online launch.

Professor Davidson has led research on key social concerns and affected, improved, and influenced national and international policy, industry, and practise in the area of online harms.

Following intensive research and analysis in partnership with Baroness Beeban Kidron of the 5Rights Foundation, this research resulted in the formulation of a child online protection strategy and five-year implementation plan in Rwanda. Following the plan’s implementation, Professor Davidson assisted in the delivery of training.

The Rwandan government approved a child internet protection policy and plan in 2019 that covers critical areas such as health, criminal justice, education, industry, civil society, and the community. In 2019, a national awareness campaign was launched through community networks and schools.

For the latest Entertainment News Follow BOL News on Google News. Read more on Latest Entertainment News on oldsite.bolnews.com