The session, which will be led by End Violence, is part of the 2020 Internet Governance Forum. 

The event will focus on the key aspects around technology and governance that are shaping our ability to effectively respond to threats and harms faced by children online, such as: access to technology tools to protect children online, regulatory frameworks on digital platforms and their interplay with safety considerations, unequal capacities across the globe to prevent and respond to online threats and the role of international collaboration.

Speakers

Speakers: 

• Baroness Beeban Kidron OBE, Founder and Chair of 5Rights Foundation
• John Tanagho, Director of the Center to End Online Sexual Exploitation of Children, International Justice Mission
• Signy Arnason, Associate Executive Director, Canadian Center for Child Protection
• Emilio Puccio, Coordinator, European Parliament Intergroup on Children's Rights

Onsite Moderator: 

Marija Manojlovic, Safe Online Lead, End Violence

Online Moderator: 

Marija Manojlovic, Safe Online Lead, End Violence

Rapporteur: 

Serena Tommasino, Safe Online Knowledge Management Specialist, End Violence

More about the forum

While digital technologies have created risks for children online, they play a critical part in our efforts to prevent and respond to online CSEA. Given the exponential growth of abuse of children online and the speed at which new threats are emerging, there is a global consensus that with right regulatory frameworks and policies, and collaboration between main sectors, technology is the key to protecting children online.  

With its latest Safe Online investment round of $10 million, End Violence made another significant contribution to the global fight against online CSEA, welcoming 14 new grantees with cutting-edge projects into its Safe Online community.  Through new technologies, these projects will develop the knowledge and capacity of law enforcement, public authorities and other groups fighting online CSEA across the globe – especially in countries where there is currently little related infrastructure in place.   

Key themes/questions: Together with our End Violence/Safe Online partners and grantees we will discuss key aspects around technology and governance that are shaping our ability to effectively respond to threats faced by children online, including:

1. The role technology plays in the global response to online CSEA, the types of technology currently in use, as well as variety of ways it can be applied;
2. Regulatory frameworks that are enabling or challenging the use of tech for child online safety and the tension between privacy and safety;
3. Unequal capacities across the world to access and use technological tools, and effective approaches to building that capacity; and,
4. The role of national and international cooperation and cross sector collaboration in creating a sustainable global ecosystem for prevention and response to online CSEA.

On world children’s day, the Digital Futures Commission is hosting a webinar exploring the future of free play in the digital world. The Commission, led by Prof Sonia Livingstone and supported by 5Rights Foundation, is a research collaboration of unique organisations that invites innovators, policymakers, regulators, academics and civil society to unlock digital innovation in the best interests of children and young people.  

At this event, the Digital Futures Commission will be introduced by Baroness Beeban Kidron followed by a panel discussion on play in the digital world, chaired by Professor Sonia Livingstone OBE.