Guidelines for Industry on International Telecommunication Union Place des Nations Child Online CH-1211 Geneva 20 Switzerland www.itu.int/cop Protection Printed in Switzerland Geneva, 2014 2014 edition With the support of: www.itu.int/cop Notices and Disclaimer This document may be updated from time to time. Updates can be found on the www.itu.int/cop. Third-party sources are quoted as appropriate. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and UNICEF are not responsible for the content provided by external sources including external websites referenced in this publication. Neither ITU, nor UNICEF, nor any person acting on their behalf is responsible for the use that might be made of the information contained in this publication. Mention of and references to specific countries or territories, companies, products, initiatives, company policies, practices or guidelines do not in any way imply that they are endorsed or recommended by ITU and/or UNICEF, the contributors, or any other organization that the authors are affiliated with, in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. This joint publication reflects the work of ITU and UNICEF with respect to an issue of common concern. The principles and policies of each agency are separately established and governed by the relevant decisions of its governing body. © International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 2014. Requests to reproduce extracts of this publication may be submitted to: [email protected] and [email protected]. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This publication was developed through a consultative process led by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and UNICEF and benefited from the expertise of a wide range of contributors from leading institutions active in the information and communications technologies (ICT) sector and on child online safety issues. UNICEF Corporate Social Responsibility Unit: Amaya Gorostiaga, Eija Hietavuo UNICEF Child Protection Section: Clara Sommarin The document also benefited from the review of the following UNICEF colleagues: Christian Salazar, Maniza Zaman, Bo Viktor Nylund, Susan Bissell, Kerry Neal, Joost Kooijmans and Julia Schulteis. ITU: Carla Licciardello, Preetam Maloor, Marco Obiso, Despoina Sareidaki Editor: Catherine Rutgers ITU and UNICEF are grateful to Jenny Jones, GSMA and John Carr, Children’s Charities’ Coalition on Internet Safety, for their continuous support and invaluable guidance to the overall process. Moreover, we acknowledge the precious work of our COP Partners, especially (listed in alphabetical order): • Anika Holterhof and Steven Malby, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) • Anjan Bose, ECPAT International • Ellen Blackler, The Walt Disney Company • Francesca Bosco, United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) • Julian Coles (BBC) and Giacomo Mazzone, European Broadcasting Union (EBU) • Kim Sanchez, Microsoft Corporation • Martin Schmalzried, Confederation of Family Organizations in the European Union (COFACE) • Myla Pilao, Trend Micro • Paul Cording, Vodafone Group • Robert Shilling and Mick Moran, Interpol • Roberto Masotti, Emanuela Negro, and Lara Campodonico, Telecom Italia • Sandra Marchenko, International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC) • Susie Hargreaves and Fred Langford, Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) Finally, ITU and UNICEF thank the wide range of stakeholders who contributed to the development of the content during the open consultation Cover photo © UNICEF/BANA2014-00368/Mawa. held in December 2013. All other photos are from Shutterstock. 1 Contents Glossary ................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Foreword .................................................................................................................................................................................. 4 Part 1. Introduction, key areas and general guidelines ......................................................................................................... 5 1.1. Purpose ............................................................................................................................................................................ 5 1.2. Background ...................................................................................................................................................................... 6 1.3. Five key areas for protecting and promoting children’s rights ............................................................................................ 8 1.4. General guidelines for all related industry ....................................................................................................................... 13 Part 2. Sector-Specific Checklists ....................................................................................................................................... 17 2.1. Mobile operators ............................................................................................................................................................. 17 2.2. Internet service providers ............................................................................................................................................... 22 2.3. Content providers, online retailers and app developers ................................................................................................... 25 2.4. User-generated content, interactive and social media service providers .......................................................................... 28 2.5. National and public service broadcasting ........................................................................................................................ 32 2.6. Hardware manufacturers, operating system developers and app stores .......................................................................... 36 2 Glossary ADOLESCENT Human Rights, companies have a responsi- CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE UNICEF (and other United Nations agen- bility to identify, prevent, mitigate and, where MATERIAL cies) define adolescents as people aged appropriate, remediate their potential or ac- Child sexual abuse material refers to any 10–19. It is important to note that ‘adoles- tual negative impacts on human rights. material that visually depicts a child in real cents’ is not a binding term under interna- Recognizing the need for explicit guid- or simulated explicit sexual activities or tional law, and those below the age of 18 ance about what it means for business to any representation of the sexual parts of a are considered to be children, whereas respect and support children’s rights, the child for primarily sexual purposes, includ- those 18–19 years old are considered United Nations Global Compact, Save ing photography, video, drawings, cartoons, adults, unless majority is attained earlier the Children and UNICEF – together with text and live streaming.1 Although the term under national law. companies and other stakeholders – re- ‘child pornography’ is used commonly in leased the Children’s Rights and Business legislation and international conventions, CHILD Principles in March 2012. The Principles this term is not used in the Guidelines for In accordance with article 1 of the Con- call on companies to respect children’s Industry on Child Online Protection because vention on the Rights of the Child, a child rights, avoid any infringement on the rights ‘pornography’ is frequently understood to be is anyone under 18 years old, unless ma- of children, and address any adverse child associated with depictions of sexual activity jority is attained earlier under national law. rights impact with which the business is between consenting adults. For this reason, involved. The Principles also encourage use of the term ‘child pornography’ can mis- CHILD RIGHTS IMPACTS companies to support children’s rights by characterize sexual representations where Companies can impact the rights of children, taking voluntary actions that seek to ad- children are involved, since it does not high- either positively or negatively, through the vance children’s rights through core busi- light the abusive/exploitative aspects of this 1. The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights ways in which they operate their facilities; ness operations, products and services, phenomenon or reflect the wide spectrum of the Child on the Sale of develop, deliver and market products; pro- strategic social investments, advocacy, of child sexual abuse materials, and its use Children, Child Prostitution vide services; apply leverage through busi- public policy engagement, and working can therefore cause misunderstanding. and Child Pornography and the Council of ness relationships with key stakeholders and in partnership and other collective ac- Europe Convention on partners; and exert influence on economic tion. To access the full set of Children’s CYBERBULLYING the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and social development. Under the United Rights and Business Principles, see International law does not define cyber- and Sexual Abuse. Nations Guiding Principles on Business and www.unicef.org/csr/12.htm. bullying. For the purpose of this docu- 3 ment is it defined as wilful and repeated soles, TVs and laptops as well as more of a computer or other device that can harm inflicted through the use of comput- traditional