Better Internet for Kids

Account settings can help children, teenagers and their parents manage their online presence – like how much personal information is visible to others, or how easy it is to be contacted.

Since most people don’t change default settings, platforms need to make sure these are private, safe and secure from the start.

What default settings should include:

	Limiting contact: Control who can follow or message the child or teen
	Turning off risky features by default, such as: Geolocation,   Autoplay of videos,   Microphone and camera,   Contact syncing,   Tracking.
	Preventing strangers from seeing or downloading content
	Sharing contact info (like email and telephone number) only with explicit permission
	Managing notifications: turn off push notifications or alerts from certain users or apps, or during sleep hours
	Reducing excessive use by turning off features like:   likes and reactions counters,   “...is typing” features,   read receipts.
	Protecting mental health: turn off image filters that may negatively affect body image or self-esteem.

Giving kids and teens control – with guidance 

Children should never be encouraged to lower their privacy, safety and security settings. But if they want to customise their experience, they should be able to do so in a way that’s safe and age appropriate.  

What platforms need to allow:

• Let young users adjust settings in ways that make sense for their age and maturity
• Make sure their choices stay in place even after platform updates
• Provide clear, easy-to-understand warnings before making their account more open or risky
• Allow temporary changes, not just permanent ones
• Ask young users to reconfirm important choices from time to time.

Why this matters to you: default settings help children and teenagers stay safe and in control, without feeling overwhelmed or exposed to unnecessary risks.