Osinbajo Urges Tech Firms to Protect Children Online

Former Vice-President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo emphasized that technology companies must take primary responsibility for safeguarding children from digital risks, rather than shifting this burden to parents. He made these remarks while chairing a high-level session on child rights and design accountability at the 16th Annual Conference of the Pan African Lawyers Union in Cairo, Egypt, on Monday.

Osinbajo criticized the design of digital products that embed dangers and called for a reconsideration of approaches that place the onus of online safety on families. He advocated for a framework that combines rights, accountability, and innovation to ensure that digital environments prioritize the safety and development of children.

The session, titled “Guardrails, Not Gates: Protecting Children in the Digital Age,” included discussions on the responsibilities of digital products and AI systems that expose children to various risks. Participants reviewed the draft Cairo Declaration on Child Rights and Design Accountability, which includes safety-by-design obligations and age-appropriate design codes.

Mrs. Foluso Idumu-Shado from the Justice Research Institute highlighted the need for African policymakers to proactively shape technology design rules.