Principle 7

Keep children safe and protected

“Offer me ways to protect myself and to help me and my friends understand how to stay in control of our safety.”
(Girl, 11 years old, India)

  • Make sure your products and services are safe to use. Do not assume anyone else will ensure children’s safety.
  • Explain why something might be unsafe, and inform the child on how to stay safe.
  • Help children to improve their digital literacy.
  • Make unwanted and inappropriate content easy to report and block.
  • Provide children tools to block and distance themselves from those they do not want to have contact with. Make sure you have a solid system for reporting and managing users.
  • Do not expose children to illegal content.
  • Consider the type of behaviour you are encouraging, and endeavour to provide a healthy environment.
  • Equip care givers with an understanding of healthy behaviour.

Links to the UN Rights of the Child:
The Right to be Protected

❮ Principle 6
❯ Principle 8
RESOURCES: Safety & Sustainability

Here you can find selected resources to learn more about designing for safety and sustainability.

The Children’s Code Design Guidance (pdf)
Children’s Code: Additional Resources (website)
Risky by Design (website)
How Digital Design Puts Children at Risk (pdf) or Summary (pdf)
The Role of Digital Technologies in Relation to Children’s Well-being (website & video)
The Good Childhood Report (website)

D4CR principles
Design for Inclusion

1. Gather and respect children’s views
2. Everyone can use
3. Use communication children can understand

Design for Play & Learning

4. Allow and support exploration
5. Encourage children to play with others
6. Create a balanced environment

Design for Safety & Sustainability

7. Keep children safe and protected
8. Do not misuse children’s data
9. Help children recognise and understand commercial activities
10. Design for future