Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron and World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus have urged the international community to implement stronger regulations on digital platforms as they increasingly impact children's health and development.

According to Anadolu Agency, Macron and Tedros emphasized in a joint statement that children and young people should not be viewed as experimental subjects or commodities in the digital landscape. They advocated for creating digital environments that safeguard and support the healthy development of children and adolescents.

The leaders acknowledged the potential benefits of digital technologies in areas like education, healthcare, and communication. However, they also highlighted the risks posed by inadequately regulated platforms, which can expose children to harmful content, misinformation, and invasive data collection practices.

The statement highlighted initiatives by several countries, such as France, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada, which are actively working to introduce measures aimed at better protecting minors online. Macron and Tedros called for enhanced transparency requirements, child-friendly platform designs, and independent research. They also stressed the importance of collaboration among governments, technology companies, and public health institutions.

Additionally, they advocated for a precautionary approach in the development of generative artificial intelligence, emphasizing the need to understand its long-term effects on children before widespread implementation.