By Martin Coulter

LONDON (Reuters) – The United States and Britain unveiled a joint working group on Thursday to explore ways to improve children’s safety online.

At the launch, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and British Science and Technology Minister Peter Kyle issued a statement urging tech platforms to act “further and faster” to protect children.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

Popular social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat are under increasing scrutiny regarding their effects on children. This first trans-Atlantic government initiative will heighten that focus.

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy warned last year that young social media users may experience body image issues, disordered eating, poor sleep quality, and low self-esteem, particularly among adolescent girls.

According to the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Young Children), Snapchat was involved in 43% of cases in Britain where social media was used to distribute indecent images of children. Meta's platforms—Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—were implicated in 33% of child abuse crimes on social media.

Social media companies, including Snap and Meta, have promised to collaborate with officials to protect young users and have introduced new tools to safeguard teens online, including parental controls.

CONTEXT

In recent years, lawmakers in the U.S. and Britain have sought to implement new restrictions on online platforms. Two bills in the U.S.—the Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act and the Kids Online Safety Act, known as COPPA 2.0 and KOSA—have passed in the Senate and await House votes. In Britain, the Online Safety Act is expected to take effect by the end of 2024, requiring social media companies to block children from accessing harmful and age-inappropriate content, such as pornography, through age limits and checks. Non-compliance could result in fines up to 18 million pounds ($22.3 million) or 10% of a company’s global turnover under British law.

KEY QUOTE

“The digital world has no borders, and working with our international partners like the U.S.—one of our closest allies and home to the biggest tech firms—is essential,” said Kyle.