Digital Natives, Data Captives: Protecting Kids Online

In an age of deep fakes and big tech, where can children find a haven online? As we step into the era of artificial intelligence, how do we ensure their protection?

Last year, Australians were stunned to learn that an international artificial intelligence tool had harvested public and private data – including the names and photographs of 190 Australian children – to train its models. It was a stark reminder that our online information, and that of those most precious to us, can slip beyond our control with no recourse, reversal or protection. 

Join Hye Jung Han, Human Rights Watch’s children’s rights researcher and advocate, and writer and broadcaster Sally Warhaft for this special edition of The Fifth Estate. 

They will discuss recent federal reforms that have banned social media use for children under 16 years of age and incremental improvements to Australia’s privacy laws, such as a dedicated Code to safeguard children’s data. But do these measures go far enough to protect young people in an evolving digital landscape?

Don’t miss this thoughtful discussion about the right to privacy – especially for our next generation – and the urgent need to close critical gaps in our digital infrastructure. 

Presented in partnership with Human Rights Watch