This is stated in a joint statement released on the eve of the first UN Global Summit on AI Governance. Among the signatories are Amnesty International and Save the Children. The coalition is led by the human rights organization 5Rights Foundation.
The statement asserts that existing regulatory mechanisms are failing to keep pace with technological developments. As a result, measures to protect children are only implemented after harm has already been done, according to Euronews.
The organizations state that AI is already having a negative impact on children. Of particular concern are so-called “companion” chatbots, which simulate long-term emotional relationships.
The document was released amid a rise in the number of lawsuits against companies in the AI sector. Among them are Character Technologies and OpenAI. Plaintiffs allege that the products can affect children and are marketed as safe without sufficient warnings. This was previously reported by international media outlets, including Reuters and the Financial Times.
“Children have given us a precise diagnosis of the problem,” said Lianda Barrington-Leach, executive director of the 5Rights Foundation. According to her, regulation should not be limited to addressing the consequences of harm that has already been done.
The coalition is proposing a package of ten measures. These include requiring companies to demonstrate the safety of AI systems for children before they enter the market, imposing fines for violations of minors’ rights, and banning the use of designs that exploit psychological vulnerabilities. It also proposes restricting the commercial use of children’s images, voices, and biometric data.
The authors of the initiative argue that new laws are not necessary. In their view, it is sufficient to ensure compliance with existing international obligations, including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the provisions of the UN International Digital Compact.
“As long as companies are rewarded for speed, engagement, and data collection rather than safety, we will continue to treat the symptoms while the disease becomes endemic,” said Barrington-Leach.
It should be noted that the issue of AI regulation and the protection of minors will be one of the topics of the upcoming UN Global Dialogue on the Governance of Artificial Intelligence.
