AI & Children’s Safety
The importance of AI and children's safety took center stage in February 2025 through proposed California legislation and direct youth participation in the UK.
California's proposed SB 243 aims to protect children from AI's potential harms by requiring companies to remind young users they're interacting with AI, not humans.
We recently did a deep dive into the anthropomorphization of AI and the particular dangers it poses for young people during our last webinar. Character.AI has faced some very public scrutiny over safety in light of a tragic teen suicide last year, so we are pleased to see this legislation.
In the UK, the Children's AI Summit directly brought 150 young voices (ages 8-18) into the AI governance conversation. The manifesto echoes similar concerns but goes further—demanding not just safety guardrails but active participation in shaping AI's future. "You'll write the laws, but we'll bear the cost," says Ethan, 16.
Their manifesto's call for "transparent, equitable, and environmentally conscious AI" focuses on 4 key areas:
1. Safety and Protection - Make AI safe for children through proper safeguards, security measures, and restrictions, particularly on social media.
2. Transparency and Ethics - Require companies to be open about how they use AI, remove biased data, and ensure ethical development.
3. Education and Access - Create better AI literacy education and ensure all children can understand, use, and benefit from AI technology.
4. Environmental Responsibility - Ensure AI development considers its environmental impact, particularly through clean energy adoption.
While GenAI has great potential for young people, there is a critical need for:
AI literacy so young people can navigate this technology safely and ethically
Meaningful protections for young people that go beyond simple disclaimers
And a commitment from tech companies to responsible develop AI development in a way that considers its impact on future generations.
Learn more about California’s SB 243 here.
You can learn more or read the full Children's Manifesto for AI here:
