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27 September 2024 / Robert Dalling , Abigail Dore
Issue: 8087 / Categories: Features , Privacy , Child law , Technology
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Online privacy: keeping kids safe

190811
Digital platforms must improve protections for children or risk fines, write Robert Dalling & Abigail Dore. But what exactly does the Children’s Code call for?
  • The ICO has urged 11 major social media and video-sharing platforms to enhance their privacy practices for children, as part of the ongoing enforcement of its Children’s Code.
  • Platforms found not to be in compliance with the code may be subject to enforcement measures, including hefty fines and regulatory scrutiny.

The Information Commissioner’s Office has called on 11 social media and video-sharing platforms (SMPs and VSPs) to improve their children’s privacy practices, amid rising concerns about inadequate privacy protections for children in digital spaces. This action forms part of the Children’s Code, which is designed to protect children’s privacy online by providing guidance on designing services that comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/2426) (PECR 2003).

The Children’s Code

The GDPR contains provisions designed to cater for the fact that children require special protection

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NEWS
The Law Society RFC Festival of Sport returns next month, bringing together legal and financial services professionals for one of the sector’s largest annual sporting events
Legal aid deserts leave almost one in four without adequate access to justice
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has warned solicitors and law firms that using artificial intelligence does not alter their professional obligations, amid concerns over inaccurate legal material and client confidentiality
From forgotten interest claims to case-management appeals, a string of procedural developments offers useful—and occasionally cautionary—lessons for practitioners

Jonathan Fisher KC highlights that it now accounts for around 40% of criminal offences, with roughly 70% involving technology, and argues that the UK cannot simply prosecute its way out of the problem. Detection, investigation and prosecution all require improvement, while different fraud types demand tailored responses.

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