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.
-- -------------------------------------- Joly MacFie +12185659365 -------------------------------------- -