A new survey from PensionBee, a leader in the consumer retirement market, reveals strong public support for increased transparency from tech giant Alphabet, Google’s parent company, regarding child safety on its platforms.
The survey found that a significant 59% of UK consumers would vote in favour of a shareholder motion calling on Alphabet to publish a detailed report on online child safety.
Given the significant societal impact of social media on children, and with increased regulatory requirements including the European Union’s Digital Services Act and the UK’s Online Safety Act, this report would include quantitative metrics to assess whether and how Alphabet/YouTube has improved its performance globally regarding child safety impacts and actual harm reduction to children on its platforms.
The shareholder-proposed resolution puts a spotlight on broader public concerns about children’s exposure to inappropriate online content, bullying and harassment. With only 10% of survey respondents stating they would vote against and 33% undecided, this resolution will be voted on at the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) tomorrow (6 June).
Clare Reilly, Chief Engagement Officer at PensionBee, commented: “These findings send a clear message. Consumers and investors alike expect companies to act responsibly, especially when it comes to protecting children.
“People rightly look to world-leading technology companies like Alphabet, which runs Google and YouTube, to take a leading role in keeping children safe online. This survey clearly shows that consumers want companies to actively tackle societal issues with good governance, disclosure and accountability, not just meet baseline legal requirements.
“We hope this encourages shareholders to see the value in pushing for greater transparency.”
