A big group called the GSMA recently found that most people in the world now use smartphones. More than half of all people are online. Many of these people are kids under 18 years old. For a long time, world leaders have tried to figure out how to protect kids when they use the internet. But nobody really agrees on the best way.
Now Google has an idea about what we should do. Google made a plan called “Protecting Kids and Teens Online.” In an article, Google explained what tech companies can do to help keep kids safe. Surprisingly, Google doesn’t think one idea that some want to use will always work well.
That idea is “age verification.” Some places want websites and apps to check how old someone is before they use them. But Google says forcing people, including grown-ups, to give private info like their ID or age may not be needed.
Instead, Google thinks companies should design products with kids in mind. Apps and websites should think about safety, mental health, privacy, freedom and learning when kids use them, Google says.
Google also points out that not all kids are the same. Teenagers can handle more risks than little kids. Google doesn’t want the same rules for 10-year-olds as for 16-year-olds.
Only sometimes will age checks be right, Google believes. Then they want a good system that lets people stay anonymous if they want.
In the end, politicians will decide if they agree with Google’s ideas. But Google hopes its plan helps make the internet a safer place for kids to explore and learn. Their way may be better than age verification methods some want to force on everyone.
