Social media firms could be fined for disturbing children at night
UK information commissioner is working on a new legal code that will target firms that keep children awake at night
Children try out Samsung laptops at a Samsung D'light showroom in Seoul March 27, 2012. PHOTO: REUTERS
Social media giants could be imposed with fines of up to £18m if they send notifications or alerts to children at night or during the day when they are at school, according to a proposal.
Elizabeth Denham, the UK information commissioner is working on a new legal code that will target strategies used by firms that keep children awake at night and disturb their sleep.
The code ensures that firms comply with UK's Digital Economy Act that states fines up to £18m or 4% of global turnover for breaches, states The Telegraph.
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The proposed plan has been submitted by 5Rights, a charity founded by filmmaker Baroness Kidron. The charity has been working with Denham and was active in obtaining a law for the new code to prevent exploitation of the children’s personal data by the social media firms.
The new proposal also chalks out a rule on the automatic timeout for the children limiting their social media usage to prevent them from becoming addicted to technology.
Denham has warned the social media giants that she will be focusing on strategies that are used by the apps to “personalise a child’s experience to encourage them to stay online longer” states The Telegraph.
Firms would be required to delete all information that a child leaves on the site.
“Children should be given repeated and frequent offers to delete the data they have created, including on logging in, logging out and at predetermined intervals,” says 5Rights.
The charity argues that the firms use Geolocators which can help them track the child and also possibly give it to predators. They should be switched off by default once the child has logged off.
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“When a child’s location is being tracked, it must be made obvious to the child,” says the charity. It further suggests the way firms operate it persuades the children to read conditions to be locked out of services may be illegal.
“This raises the question of whether consent can be relied upon as a basis for lawful processing of children’s personal data,” states 5Rights.
This article originally appeared on The Telegraph.
Elizabeth Denham, the UK information commissioner is working on a new legal code that will target strategies used by firms that keep children awake at night and disturb their sleep.
The code ensures that firms comply with UK's Digital Economy Act that states fines up to £18m or 4% of global turnover for breaches, states The Telegraph.
‘I’m sorry’, Facebook boss tells European lawmakers
The proposed plan has been submitted by 5Rights, a charity founded by filmmaker Baroness Kidron. The charity has been working with Denham and was active in obtaining a law for the new code to prevent exploitation of the children’s personal data by the social media firms.
The new proposal also chalks out a rule on the automatic timeout for the children limiting their social media usage to prevent them from becoming addicted to technology.
Denham has warned the social media giants that she will be focusing on strategies that are used by the apps to “personalise a child’s experience to encourage them to stay online longer” states The Telegraph.
Firms would be required to delete all information that a child leaves on the site.
“Children should be given repeated and frequent offers to delete the data they have created, including on logging in, logging out and at predetermined intervals,” says 5Rights.
The charity argues that the firms use Geolocators which can help them track the child and also possibly give it to predators. They should be switched off by default once the child has logged off.
Cambridge Analytica to close after Facebook data scandal
“When a child’s location is being tracked, it must be made obvious to the child,” says the charity. It further suggests the way firms operate it persuades the children to read conditions to be locked out of services may be illegal.
“This raises the question of whether consent can be relied upon as a basis for lawful processing of children’s personal data,” states 5Rights.
This article originally appeared on The Telegraph.