Home > News > Information Commissioner’s code for protecting children online, 07/08/2019 [W/E/S/N.I.]

Information Commissioner’s code for protecting children online, 07/08/2019 [W/E/S/N.I.]

The Information Commissioner has written an update about the progress of the Information Commissioner’s Office’s (ICO) code to keep people safe online.

The code, Age appropriate design: a code of practice for online services, was opened for consultation in April, and will be presented to the UK Government on 23 November 2019.

The original consultation said that the code is aimed at online services; things like “apps, connected toys, social media platforms, online games, education websites, and streaming services, when they process children’s data.” It sets out sixteen standards of age appropriate design and makes the best interests of the child a primary consideration when designing and developing online services.

The Commissioner’s update states that their aim is not to prevent young people engaging with the world around them, and instead of excluding them from the digital world, it will protect them while they use it.