The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, has called for urgent action to protect children online, demanding it be made a “priority”.

In a statement released on Friday, Turk urged stronger action by governments and tech companies to make online platforms safer.

“Enhancing protection of children online is an urgent priority,” he insisted.

The call comes amid a global push for greater accountability and oversight of social media platforms, with countries testing age-based bans and stricter regulations. Australia adopted legislation restricting access for children under 16 in December 2025.

Alongside the statement, the UN human rights office released guidelines aimed at improving children’s safety online, including safeguards around age verification, mandatory child rights impact assessments, and involving children in shaping regulatory responses.

Turk warned that “regulations focused only on the age of users risk leaving unchanged the design choices and algorithmic practices that make platforms unsafe in the first place.”

Indonesia and Malaysia have also introduced age-based restrictions. Austria, Denmark, France, Spain, and the UK are planning similar bans for children under 14-16.

However, some child safety experts argue that bans alone are insufficient, calling instead for tighter regulation requiring tech companies to better moderate harmful content and platform design.

Source: www.aljazeera.com