Facebook and Instagram face a ban on letting under 18s ‘like’ posts on their social media platforms whilst snapchat could be prevented from allowing the same age group to build up ‘streaks’. This is all under the new rules proposed by the UK’s data watchdog.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said these techniques exploit “human susceptibility to reward”. This encourages users to share more personal data and spend more times on apps than what is desired.
Restrictions on Facebook’s like button and Snapchat streaks are not the only behaviours that are being targeted. ICO said apps should not:
- use language that shows a data-sharing option in a much more positive light than the alternative
- show boxes where the yes button is much bigger than the one for no
- make it much more cumbersome to select the high-privacy option by, for example, requiring more clicks to turn it on
As well as calling for an end to children being exposed to so called “nudge techniques”, the ICO advocates internet firms make the following changes between others for their younger members:
- give children choices over which elements of the service they want to activate and then collect and retain the minimum amount of personal data
- provide “bite-sized” explanations in clear language about how users’ personal data is used
- make it clear if parental controls, such as activity-tracking, are being used
- make privacy settings “high” by default
- switch location-tracking off by default after each session and make it obvious when it had been activated
The ICO suggests that firms that do not comply with the code could face fines of up to 20 million euros (£17.2 million) of their worldwide turnover under the General Data Protection Regulation.
The ICO’s rules follow a suggestion from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) for the creation of an independent tech watchdog that would write its own “code of practice” for online companies, in particular social media companies.
Elizabeth Denham, the information commissioner, said: “This is the connected generation. The internet and all its wonders are hardwired into their everyday lives.
“We shouldn’t have to prevent our children from being able to use it, but we must demand that they are protected when they do. This code does that.”
NSPCC’s associate head of child safety online Andy Burrows said: “This design code from the ICO is a really significant package of measures, but it must go hand in hand with the government following through on its commitment to enshrine in law a new duty of care on social networks and an independent regulator with powers to investigate and fine.”
