UN warns on youth online risks

The United Nations published a brief ahead of International Youth Day warning that children and young people face increasing risks online, including disinformation, harassment, algorithmic bias, and malicious use of artificial intelligence. The brief notes that over 80% of youth aged 15-24 are online, with youth in low-income countries outpacing the rest of the population nearly two to one. It argues that online harms are not accidental but result from business models that monetize attention and personal data, and from design choices that maximize engagement. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for an AI Child Safety Pledge, stating that no child should be a guinea pig for unregulated AI. The UN urged Member States, technology companies, advertisers, media, and researchers to prioritize protection and participation. Charlotte Scaddan, UN Senior Adviser on Information Integrity, emphasized that protecting and including young people are not competing goals. The brief calls for integrating children's rights into AI governance frameworks and suggests pathways for various stakeholders to act.