From cyberbullying to addictive apps, the digital world poses significant risks to children and adolescents. Are governments doing enough to protect their mental and physical health? The Digital Transformations for Health-Lab (DTH-Lab) team team mapped national digital policies and regulations worldwide.
In DTH-Lab’s article in the Global Policy Journal at Durham University, Sofia Castro, Ilona Kickbusch, and Louise Holly explore:
- The gaps in current policies addressing online harms.
- Why the health sector must play a bigger role in creating safer digital environments.
- Key strategies for governments, NGOs and tech companies to act now.
Policies and regulations have the potential to shape the dynamics of digital transformations, preventing negative health outcomes and creating healthier and safer digital environments. To gain insight into how countries are approaching safety in digital environments for children and adolescents, the Digital Transformations for Health-Lab team analyzed policies and regulations worldwide, mapping national strategies to protect young people from online harms, including restrictions on smartphone use. While existing legislation often addresses the mental and physical health consequences of online sexual exploitation, abuse, and cyberbullying, other online risks like exposure to inappropriate content, addictive applications, and misleading marketing practices, along with their associated health impacts, are largely overlooked. A surprising finding is the limited involvement of health ministries or departments in shaping these policies. These results underscore the urgent need for the health sector to take a more proactive role in improving the safety and well-being of children and adolescents in digital environments. International agencies, nongovernmental organizations, health professional associations, civil society, and researchers must establish a narrative that encourages and supports the active participation of the health sector, especially through public health approaches that can support and shape effective policy responses with children’s and adolescents’ well-being at heart in the digital age.
Read the full article here.
Discover more about Digital Transformations for Health-Lab:
Digital transformations are shaping all aspects of our lives, including health. Digital innovations can help to improve young people’s health and well-being and achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through their application in health systems, public health promotion and prevention, and personal self-management of health status and behaviours. Without good governance, digital transformations can undermine health and exacerbate inequality. As levels of connectivity increase, concerted efforts are required to ensure that digital technologies are harnessed in support of better health and well-being for all and the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
DTH-Lab is a global consortium of partners working to drive implementation of The Lancet and Financial Times Commission on Governing Health Futures 2030’s recommendations for value-based digital transformations for health co-created with young people.
