The Online Safety Community Group has been proposed by Tara Whalen:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The mission of this group is to provide a discussion forum about the technical and architectural considerations for online safety, including safety for children online. While many see a particular interest in bolstering safety for vulnerable populations such as children, safety is important to all users of the Web.<\/p>\n\n
The scope includes discussions of architectures for age-based restrictions to content online, as a potential tool for children\u2019s online safety. This is a complicated techno-policy issue, and proposed regulations often suffer from lack of understanding about available technologies, including their capabilities, limitations, and implications. Choices made in support of age-gating systems may have significant effects on global networks and their end users, impacting human rights as well as core architectural principles.\nThis topic and the potential for a community group was discussed at (among other places), W3C TPAC 2025<\/a>, W3C Breakouts Day 2026<\/a> and the Privacy Working Group<\/a>, and follows conversation at the IAB\/W3C Workshop on Age-Based Restrictions on Content Access in 2026<\/a>, and with the W3C Technical Architecture Group<\/a>.\nThe amount of attention indicates that technologists and other interested parties are seeking a forum where these issues can be examined in depth, among a diverse group of experts. <\/p>\n\n This CG expects to support the following goals (among others):<\/p>\n\n This group may publish specifications and other types of reports, either as incubation for future standardization or as information or feedback for stakeholders, including policymakers, interested in online safety.<\/p>\n Previously published W3C Statements<\/a> may provide useful guidance and context for further work including the Privacy Principles (on vulnerability<\/a>, guardians<\/a>, device administrators<\/a>, protection from abusive behavior<\/a>) and Ethical Web Principles (on harm to society<\/a>, healthy community<\/a>, universal access<\/a>, privacy<\/a> and free expression<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n \n You are invited to support the creation of this group<\/a>.\n Once the group has a total of 5 supporters, it will be launched and people can join to begin work. In order to support the group, you will need a W3C account<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once launched, the group will no longer be listed as “proposed”; it will be in the list of current groups<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n If you believe that there is an issue with this group that requires the attention of the W3C staff, please send us email on site-comments@w3.org<\/a>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thank you, The Online Safety Community Group has been proposed by Tara Whalen: The mission of this group is to provide a discussion forum about the technical and architectural considerations for online safety, including safety for children online. While many see a … Continue reading \n
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\nW3C Community Development Team<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"