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The Path Forward

The crisis is real. But so is the response. Legal, regulatory, and technological solutions are emerging. Here's what a safer digital future looks like.

Explore solutions
The Framework

Three Pillars of Change

Protecting children requires action on multiple fronts: accountability for past harm, regulation of current practices, and design of safer alternatives.

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Legal Accountability

Holding companies responsible for products that harm children—establishing precedent that prioritizing profit over safety has consequences.

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2,191 cases in federal MDL awaiting trial
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42 state AGs coordinating enforcement
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Section 230 immunity being eroded
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Regulatory Frameworks

New laws requiring platforms to prioritize child safety—with meaningful penalties for violations and regular audits.

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Australia: Under-16 ban (Dec 2025)
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UK Online Safety Act enforcement
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EU DSA youth protection guidelines
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Ethical Technology

Designing AI and platforms that help people achieve goals—not maximize engagement time at the expense of wellbeing.

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Goal-oriented vs. engagement-oriented
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Privacy-first, user-controlled AI
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Session-bounded interactions
Momentum

Progress Being Made

Real change is happening. Here's what's moving forward.

Passed

Australia Social Media Ban

World's first national ban on social media for users under 16. Penalties up to A$49.5M per violation.

Effective December 10, 2025
Active

UK Online Safety Act

Child safety duties now enforceable. Platforms must proactively protect minors from harmful content.

Enforcement began July 2025
Active

MDL Bellwether Trials

First jury trials against social media companies for youth mental health harm. 11 cases selected.

First trial: November 2025
Passed

Character.AI Under-18 Restrictions

Following lawsuits, Character.AI banned open-ended chat for users under 18.

Effective November 25, 2025
Active

FTC AI Companion Investigation

Section 6(b) inquiry into AI chatbot impacts on children covering major platforms.

Opened September 2024
Pending

KOSA (Kids Online Safety Act)

Federal legislation requiring platforms to enable safety settings by default for minors.

Passed Senate, pending House
The Alternative

What Ethical AI Looks Like

The problem isn't AI itself—it's design choices that prioritize engagement over wellbeing. Different choices are possible.

Exploitative Design

Optimizes for time spent — Success = hours of engagement
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Infinite scroll/chat — No natural stopping points
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Simulates relationships — Romantic/emotional attachment
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Variable rewards — Unpredictable dopamine hits
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Emotional manipulation — Guilt, FOMO, loneliness

Ethical Design

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Optimizes for goals achieved — Success = tasks completed
Natural endpoints — Task completion creates closure
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Presents as tool — Not friend or companion
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Session-bounded — Clear start and end
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Empowerment-focused — Makes you capable, then leaves
"The goal isn't to eliminate AI from children's lives. It's to ensure the AI they encounter helps them grow—not exploits their vulnerabilities."
— Naible Research Philosophy

What You Can Do Today

Individual actions that contribute to systemic change

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Talk to Your Kids
Open conversations about AI companions and social media
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Review Settings
Enable parental controls and privacy settings
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Engage Schools
Support phone-free school policies
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Stay Informed
Follow litigation and regulatory developments
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Join Advocacy
Connect with organizations fighting for change

The Future We're Building

At Naible, we believe AI should work for you—not exploit you. Your data stays yours. Your AI helps you accomplish goals, then gets out of the way. That's the future we're building.

Naible
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