Online child safety regulation addresses legal, technical, and policy frameworks designed to protect minors on digital platforms, particularly social media and search services. Central themes include statutory minimum ages for account creation, mandatory age verification and age assurance technologies, and safety-by-design obligations such as teen defaults and PG-13 content gating. The field also examines platform liability for addictive design and youth mental health harms, constitutional and human-rights challenges to age-gating laws, and the effectiveness of national and regional regulatory regimes in reducing online risks to children.
Internet
Messaging platform Discord announced Monday it will implement enhanced safety features for teenage users globally, including facial recognition, joining a wave of social media companies rolling out age verification systems.
Feb 9, 2026
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Business
A landmark social media trial began in earnest on Monday that could establish a legal precedent on whether Meta or YouTube deliberately designed their platforms to lead to addiction in children.
Feb 9, 2026
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Business
The EU said Friday that it had told TikTok it needs to change its "addictive design" or risk heavy fines, after the Chinese-owned platform was found in breach of the bloc's digital content rules.
Feb 6, 2026
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Internet
Spain plans to ban social media access for children under 16, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Tuesday, in a move designed to shield young people from the harms of online content.
Feb 3, 2026
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Internet
Snapchat has blocked 415,000 accounts under Australia's social media ban for under-16s, the company said Monday, but warned some youngsters may be bypassing age verification technology.
Feb 2, 2026
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Business
The Dutch consumer watchdog Friday launched an investigation into Roblox to see if the popular gaming platform was doing enough to protect children amid reports they are exposed to violent and sexual imagery.
Jan 30, 2026
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Internet
AI slop seems to be everywhere. Low-quality digital content made with artificial intelligence has flooded our feeds, screens and speakers. Is there anything we can do about it?
Jan 29, 2026
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Internet
As France moves one step closer to banning social media for children, the European Union is seriously considering whether it's time for the bloc to follow suit.
Jan 28, 2026
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Internet
French lawmakers have passed a bill that would ban social media use by under-15s, a move championed by President Emmanuel Macron as a way to protect children from excessive screen time.
Jan 27, 2026
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Internet
WhatsApp is set to face greater EU scrutiny after the European Commission on Monday added the platform to its list of digital firms big enough to face stricter content rules.
Jan 26, 2026
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