US-UK Alliance Targets Child Safety Online

The United States and Britain have launched a joint working group to enhance children's online safety. This trans-Atlantic initiative is a response to rising concerns about social media's impact on youth. Popular platforms face scrutiny over abuses, with new laws and measures being proposed to ensure safer digital environments for children.

The United States and Britain have joined forces to create a joint working group aimed at bolstering online safety for children, unveiled on Thursday. The initiative calls for tech platforms to intensify efforts to protect young users from digital harm.

U.S. commerce secretary Gina Raimondo and British science and technology minister Peter Kyle have emphasized the urgency of addressing concerns as social media giants like Instagram and Snapchat face growing evaluation over their effects on children. Experts like U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy have already highlighted risks such as body image issues and poor mental health, especially for teenage girls.

With alarming statistics, such as Snapchat's involvement in 43% of indecent child image cases in Britain, according to NSPCC, social media companies are under pressure to comply with new regulations. Both the U.S. and UK are advancing legislative measures like the Online Safety Act, COPPA 2.0, and the Kids Online Safety Act, aiming to enforce age checks and prevent harmful content for minors.

(With inputs from agencies.)