[Air-L] World Economic Forum proposal: Typology of Online Harms

[Joly MacFie]

ttps://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/08/common-language-online-harm-typology/

According to Ofcom
> <https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0023/238361/online-nation-2022-report.pdf>,
> a United Kingdom regulator, when navigating the digital realm, a
> disconcerting 62% of internet users aged 13 and up confront at least one
> potential online harm in a four-week span, with scams, fraud and phishing
> as the most prevalent threats. According to the International
> Telecommunications Union
> <https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/child-and-youth-safety-online>,
> around 80% of children in 25 countries report feeling at risk of sexual
> abuse or exploitation online, while over a third of young people in 30
> countries have experienced cyberbullying, with such distressing experiences
> leading one in five of them to skip school. There is also a 'digital
> disconnect' between the kinds of harmful content young people are
> encountering online and their parent's awareness of these experiences.
> The Australian eSafety Commissioner's *Mind the Gap Research*
> <https://www.esafety.gov.au/research/mind-gap/childrens-online-lives> found
> that 71% of teens were coming across seriously harmful content and only
> half of their parents were aware.
>


> These statistics reflect the real-life impact and reach of online harms
> around the world and necessitate a global response. There is a lack of
> universally accepted definitions of online harms, with numerous fragmented
> interpretations of harms, such as cyberbullying, doxing, hate speech and
> explicit content. This lack of shared understanding has led to fragmented
> definitions and an inability to comprehensively address the issue. Without
> a common definition of online harms, consolidating views and data for
> informed decision-making is impossible
> <https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/05/digital-online-risk-assessment/>,
> hindering the development of effective safety protections, prevention
> efforts, and interventions in response to these challenges.
>


> From this context, there emerges the need for a common lexicon and
> recognition of existing online harms that can foster an international
> understanding and facilitate multistakeholder collaborations. The World
> Economic Forum's Global Coalition for Digital Safety
> <https://initiatives.weforum.org/global-coalition-for-digital-safety/home> recognizes
> the need for unifying disparate definitions and it is proposing The Typology
> of Online Harms
> <https://www.weforum.org/reports/toolkit-for-digital-safety-design-interventions-and-innovations-typology-of-online-harms> to
> address this gap. This will serve as a comprehensive framework for
> understanding the many varieties of online harm and developing a
> foundational language.
>


> This report was developed through the collective input of stakeholders
> representing diverse backgrounds, including regulators, big tech companies,
> universities, NGOs and civil society organizations.
>


> The Typology aims to provide various stakeholders, including governments,
> online service providers and civil society, a useful tool to empower them
> to understand, discuss and address online harms effectively, ultimately
> fostering online safety. Though the digital landscape is fraught with
> challenges, through collaborative action and a commitment to human rights,
> it is possible to create an online world that is safer and more inclusive
> for everyone.




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Joly MacFie  +12185659365
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