by Ryan Meade, Public Policy and Government Relations Manager, Google
On 4 March, Google Safety Engineering Center (GSEC) in Dublin held the annual ‘Growing Up in the Digital Age’ Summit, convening over 200 online safety experts from 20 countries. The three-day event saw impactful discussions and collaborative workshops focused on protecting, respecting and empowering young people online.
The Summit focused on six key areas to enhance child online safety: ethical AI development, advanced age verification, mitigation of CSAM, digital literacy for families, cross-sector collaboration, and AI training for teachers. Discussions highlighted the need for responsible technology use, robust safety measures, and empowering both families and educators to navigate the digital world effectively.
Young people’s perspectives are central to these efforts, so in addition to announcing new funding and showcasing Google’s latest innovations for kids, teens and families, Google also introduced ‘The Future Report’, a new research initiative with Livity in which 8,000 teens will share their experiences and help shape the future of digital literacy education.
Research underscores the pivotal roles parents and teachers play in safeguarding children online, a principle Google supports through significant Google.org investment, including over €20 million allocated to European social impact organisations since 2018. At the Summit, Google.org announced an additional €10 million funding dedicated to programmes promoting online safety and digital wellbeing, alongside resources for caregivers and teachers.
More details on the these initiatives can be found in this blogpost
