Lawmakers won’t protect our kids online, so maybe it’s up to you
The recent circus which saw tech bosses grilled by US lawmakers – this time on child online safety – is just the latest in a string of similar performances. Yet none has led to any meaningful change. Channel Factory’s Australian managing director James Rose argues it’s time for advertisers to take responsibility for online child safety.
Mark Zuckerberg’s latest mea culpa to Congress has made one thing clearer than ever: waiting for policymakers to successfully navigate the digital quagmire and safeguard our kids online is like waiting for my team the St Kilda Football Club to win a flag – it might happen, but it’s not likely in the near term.
The tragic stories and number of studies showing how exposure to harmful online content is impacting our kids is stacking up; and let’s be clear, one young life ruined by this is one too many. It all adds up and underscores the urgent need for action.
