The Protection of Children Online: an OECD report and policy recommendation

As ever more children across the world gain access to the Internet, the range of risks which they face online is increasingly becoming a priority for government policy makers and other stakeholders.

The OECD Council issued a Recommendation on the Protection of Children Online with principles which governments and all other stakeholders should take into account when formulating policies that aim to protect children's online experience.

Kristina Irion, Assistant Professor at CEU's Department of Public Policy and Research Director Public Policy at the CMCS has prepared a report on the subject for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): The protection of Children Online: Risks faced by children online and policies to protect them . She has also drafted policy principles which formed the basis for the Recommendation of the OECD Council.

Irion says "This was an exciting experience to collaborate closely with the OECD and the government representatives plus many experts on child online protection. I hope the Recommendation will inform many national policies and help to make children's online experience safer while maintaining the free flow of information on the Internet."

The Recommendation promotes the principles of empowerment of children and parents, proportionality and fundamental values, and flexibility to accommodate different vulnerabilities and technologies when formulating policies for the protection of children online.

The OECD Council endorsed a set of recommendations for governments at the domestic level and the international level which aim to mitigate online risks for children.