The Paris Peace Forum began on November 10. On this occasion, Emmanuel Macron brings together and associates several digital actors with the launch of the online child protection laboratory. The initiative aims to fight against “inappropriate content” such as hate or pornography, which children face and against “cyberbullying”, indicates the Elysee.
Thus, Facebook, Microsoft, TikTok, Google or even Snapchat, a dozen countries and NGOs responded to Emmanuel Macron’s call to sign a letter. This records the launch of the laboratory and indicates its main axes. The digital actors will thus be able to use their resources for the development of these future prevention tools.
job tracks
To achieve this, four major areas have been defined: work on the verification of the age of Internet users, on the exchange of intimate images without consent, on the harassment of minors on the Internet and on the use of artificial intelligence as a message detector suspects.
Very specifically, this online child protection laboratory, made up of signatories and directed by a scientific committee, will have as its mission to develop “technical solutions” to protect minors, but also “to explore, promote, develop and evaluate solutions that have as an objective to improve the safety of minors in the digital environment”, indicates its statute.
Among the ways mentioned, the development of an age verification system by a trusted third party. An ambition shared with many countries, but one that has never been enough to convince the millions of online porn sites to comply.
The scientific committee will publish a report based on these first experiences. The project is inspired by the Christchurch Call launched in 2019 whose mission was to fight against terrorism and extremism online. Retained routes may subsequently be the subject of more concrete measures, for example leading to legislative proposals.
Source: BFM TV
