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    (continued)   
      
   What needs to happen?   
      
   Ideally, protecting children would involve parents, schools, governments, and   
   tech companies all working together. But after years of slow progress on   
   social media regulation, its not hard to see why confidence in that happening   
   any time soon is low.    
      
   Many of the biggest problems could be addressed if the companies behind AI   
   tools and social platforms took more responsibility and enforced meaningful   
   safeguards. Tech companies need to be subject to urgent, meaningful    
   regulation if were going to protect children, Steele says. At the moment, far   
   too much responsibility is falling on families, schools, and the goodwill of   
   industry, and that simply isnt safe.    
      
   Bartuski agrees that companies should be doing far more. They have the money,   
   resources, and visibility to be able to do a lot more. Many social media   
   companies have used Foggs Persuasive Design to get kids habituated to be   
   lifelong users of their platforms. Tech companies do this on purpose, she   
   explains.    
      
   But this is where the tension lies. We can say tech companies should do more,   
   yet as the risks become clearer, corporate incentives are often moving in the   
   opposite direction. With the guardrails being removed from AI development   
   (specifically in the US), there are some (not all) companies that are using   
   that to their advantage, Bartuski says. She has already seen companies push   
   ahead with features they know are dangerous.    
      
   Even so, experts agree that certain steps would have an immediate and   
   significant impact. There need to be clear rules on what AI systems must not   
   be allowed to do, including creating sexualized images of children, promoting   
   self-harm, or using design features that foster emotional dependency, Steele   
   says.    
      
   This forms the basis of the Safe AI for Children Alliances Non-Negotiables   
   Campaign , which outlines three protections every child should have.    
   Alongside banning the creation of sexualized images of children, the campaign   
   states that AI must never be designed to make children emotionally dependent   
   and AI must never encourage children to harm themselves.    
      
   But relying on tech companies alone wont cut it. Independent oversight is   
   essential. This is why Briercliffe believes stronger external checks are   
   needed across the industry. There must be mandatory, independent, third-party   
   testing and evaluation before deployment, he says. We also need independent   
   oversight, transparency about how systems behave in real-world conditions,    
   and real consequences when companies fail to protect children.    
      
   And ultimately, this goes beyond individual platforms. This is ultimately a   
   question of societal responsibility, Tara says. We must set strong,   
   enforceable standards that ensure childrens safety comes before commercial   
   incentives.   
      
   What can parents do?    
      
   Even with regulations slow to catch up, parents shouldnt feel at a loss.    
   There are meaningful steps you can take right now. Its completely   
   understandable for parents to feel worried, Steele says. The technology is   
   moving very fast, and the risks arent intuitive. But it is important not to   
   feel powerless.    
      
    1. Understand the basics    
      
   Parents dont need to learn how every AI tool works, Bartuski says. But    
   getting clear on the risks and benefits is important. Steele offers a free   
   Parent and Educator Guide at safeaiforchildren.org that lays out all the    
   major concerns in clear, accessible language, which is a good place to start.    
      
    2. Create open, non-judgmental communication    
      
   If kids feel judged or are worried about consequences, they are not going to   
   turn to parents when something is wrong, Bartuski says. If they dont feel    
   safe talking to you, you are placing them in potentially dangerous and/or   
   exploitative situations. Keep conversations calm, curious, and shame-free.    
      
    3. Talk about the tech    
      
   You might assume your children understand AI better than you do because they   
   use it more. But they may not grasp how it works, how often it gets things   
   wrong, or that fake content can look real. Bartuski says kids need to know   
   that chatbots can be wrong, manipulative, or unsafe, even when they sound   
   caring or convincing.    
      
    4. Use shared spaces    
      
   This isnt about banning tech outright. Its about making it safer. Steele   
   suggests enforcing shared spaces", which involves using AI tools in communal   
   areas, experimenting together, and avoiding private one-on-one use behind   
   closed doors. This could reduce the chance of harmful interactions going   
   unnoticed.    
      
    5. Extend the conversation beyond the home    
      
   Safety shouldnt stop at your front door. If you are worried, ask your child's   
   school what they have in place, Briercliffe says. Even ask your employer to   
   bring in a professional to give a talk. Experts agreed that while parents    
   play a key role here, this is a wider cultural challenge, and the more openly   
   we all discuss it, the safer children will be.    
      
    6. Find more balance and reduce screen time    
      
   Weve been talking about limiting screen time for years, and its just as   
   important now that AI is showing up across apps, games, and social platforms.   
   Kids need to be taught balance, Bartuski says. Play is essential for growth   
   and development. She also stresses that reducing screen time only works if    
   its replaced with activities that are engaging, fun, and cognitively   
   challenging.   
       
   ======================================================================   
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.techradar.com/ai-platforms-assistants/how-you-can-keep-your-kids-s   
   afe-in-this-ai-powered-world   
      
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