Governments have long relied on online platforms to do most of the work necessary to maintain a safe online environment, trusting that industry guidelines and other voluntary measures would suffice. However, the persistence and severity of online safety problems such as child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA), terrorist and violent extremist content and mis- and disinformation have demonstrated the limitations of this approach. The growth of online CSEA, for instance, is accelerating, posing a grave danger to children. Disinformation has become a pervasive problem, influencing public opinion and threatening democratic processes. The cumulative impact of online safety problems necessitated a re-evaluation of the hands-off approach that had endured since the commercial Internet’s early days. As a result, an increasing number of jurisdictions are establishing regulations to safeguard users.
Online safety and well-being
The Internet has connected people like no other technology before it, but bad actors are just as skilled at using it as legitimate ones. That puts users’ safety and well-being, and therefore their trust, at risk. In response, more jurisdictions are turning to regulation. However, sound policies require a solid base of evidence, and we cannot lose sight of the benefits of being online while trying to ensure users’ safety.
Key messages
Without adequate information about the nature and extent of safety challenges that users face online and how online service providers are responding to them, policymakers are groping in the dark when they try to find solutions. A solid evidence base makes it possible to discern trends, identify vulnerable user groups, target problem areas, determine which measures work well and which do not, and anticipate emerging threats. Furthermore, by enabling policymakers to gauge the impact of policies over time, a robust base of evidence allows them to refine interventions regulatory measures and ensure that they remain responsive to ever-evolving safety challenges.
As more jurisdictions introduce online safety regulations, the compliance burden grows for service providers operating internationally. That is especially the case when regulations are uncoordinated across jurisdictions, so that each has a different set of requirements. Emerging transparency reporting regulations, for example, vary from country to country. That means the affected companies will have to produce multiple versions of their reports in every period. Meanwhile, policymakers will look at the same issues through different lenses, potentially complicating discussions on how to tackle online safety problems that are common to all jurisdictions. A more efficient solution is to develop international reporting standards. The OECD has taken a major step in that direction with the Voluntary Transparency Reporting Framework.
Context
Rise of online safety regulators in OECD countries
A growing number of jurisdictions are establishing dedicated online safety regulatory bodies. Those bodies are overseeing the development, implementation and enforcement of regulations designed to improve online safety and well-being. Without adequate international coordination, as the number of such agencies grows, so does the risk of fragmentation and its associated costs. Those costs can affect both the public and private sectors, and they may be monetary as well as informational.
The great majority of online services used most intensively for terrorist and violent extremist purposes are not among the most popular ones
OECD research shows that only 11 of the 50 online content-sharing services that terrorists and violent extremists use most intensively to propagate terrorist and violent extremist content (TVEC) are also among the 50 largest, most popular services. The TVEC-intensive services tend to be less transparent, too, as only 8 of them issued transparency reports about their TVEC policies and moderation efforts in 2022 (versus 15 of the 50 largest). Therefore, policy makers and other stakeholders would do well to widen their lenses to scrutinize the smaller but more TVEC-intensive services.
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Child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) online is a major global threat. It is complex, constantly evolving, and growing in scale. CSEA can take the form of images, videos or livestreams, it can involve a child being contacted by offenders who want to solicit or groom them – or it can be a combination of these. No matter what form CSEA takes, it brings about untold harm to the victims and survivors as well as to society.Learn more
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The digital environment is fundamental in the lives of children, providing greater access to education and social connections. However, it can also expose them to a range of harms. Recognising that policy makers need to balance opportunities and risks, the OECD focuses on fostering a digital environment that safeguards children while allowing them to harness its benefits.Learn more
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The spread of false and misleading information poses significant risks to the well-being of people and society. While such content is not necessarily illegal, it can contribute to polarisation, jeopardise the implementation of policies, and undermine trust in democratic institutions and processes. Action is required to strengthen the integrity of information spaces to protect freedom of expression and democratic engagement.Learn more
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Terrorists and violent extremists continue to abuse online platforms to radicalize and recruit, and to fund and co-ordinate attacks. Despite improvements in detection methods and efforts from governments and platforms alike to curb the dissemination of TVEC online, malicious actors are developing creative ways to achieve their ends. Multistakeholder co-operation and a better evidence base are necessary to improve policy responses and save lives.Learn more