Following the UK government’s announcement on Monday that it plans to ban social media for children under the age of 16, the island must now decide whether or not to follow suit.
But Mr Homan said that legislation is not the only option on the table.
‘When it comes to the question of bans, they can be blunt instruments and any prospective legislation would need to be well thought out in order to be effective, fit for purpose and future-proofed,’ he said.
‘As a regulator in the sphere of promoting and protecting children’s data rights, we are looking forward to engaging with the government in any consultations that may be had in the area of online safety and future regulations.
‘At the end of the day, it is our collective responsibility to raise our children in a manner that they can embrace all the positive benefits that the digital era has to offer, while increasing protection from its very real risks.’
Even if legislation is brought in, questions remain over how it will be enforced.
And while social media is the focus of the proposed ban, it is not the only source of harmful or inappropriate online content.
‘There can be serious and long-lasting harms from exposure of children to any non-authorised adult content,’ said Mr Homan.
‘This is why age verification measures are so very important, and not simply that they exist – but that they are effective and cannot be easily circumvented.’
Earlier this year, a global sweep coordinated by Guernsey’s Data Protection Authority, alongside authorities in the UK and Canada, found that many age‑assurance mechanisms could be easily bypassed.
The Global Privacy Enforcement Network’s Sweep Report reviewed almost 900 websites and apps used by children and involved 27 data protection and privacy authorities.
For 72% of websites and apps reviewed, participants were able to circumvent age assurance measures, most often where self-declaration was used.
Mr Homan said the report’s headline findings were ‘striking’.
‘Forty-one percent of swept services were assessed by our participants as not suitable for children. Despite an increase in age assurance mechanisms – now used by 45% of services – the majority could be easily circumvented.’
But Mr Homan said there is action that can be taken to protect children, without waiting for a potential ban, and parents, schools, platforms, regulators and governments can all play their role.
The ODPA has created a children’s safety programme, which includes a partnership with schools to deliver online safety education to pupils, as well as parents’ online safety workshops to provide advice on protecting children online and to inspire open conversations.
It also teaches children and families about online safety through gaming at its annual ACE Invaders event.
‘As it comes to enforcement and protecting children, our office has leveraged the “power of partnership” and its role as a global leader in the coordination of 61 authorities from around the world to sign the Joint Statement against AI Imagery, setting out the risks of deepfakes and making clear our collective expectations for developers and social media platforms,’ said Mr Homan.
‘While discussions of bans or restrictions continue, we can all agree that the risks and harms that are driving those discussions are ever present.
‘We all must do our part to protect children and young people, ensuring that they can enjoy the right to a healthy and safe digital childhood.’