SAFE
ONLINE
STANDARDS

“Parents, adolescents, regulators, and even members of the technology industry have been seeking a standardized approach to understanding the safety measures offered by social media platforms. The MHC convened a world class team of professionals and developed SOS. Now parents and youth will have an indispensable tool for understanding the risks and supports available for deciding where they will live their online lives.”

"Digital tools can be powerful for building youth communities, but safety is paramount," said Laura Horne, Chief Program Officer at Active Minds. "We're committed to creating supportive online spaces that protect and empower youth and young adults, especially those from BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities."

"At Internet Matters we believe that children deserve a safe digital world.  Their safety and well-being depend on education around online safety, parental involvement in their technology use, and companies doing more to ensure their platforms are safer.  The new Safe Online Standards are an important contribution to the online community which is why we have been proud to support their development, and we encourage all technology companies to adopt the Standards.  Working together, we can create a safer digital world for children."

“Historically, as a society we’ve developed safety parameters for all new technologies with broad use and impact, and it should be no different for the online world and our youth. I am proud to have participated in the creation of these standards and ratings, as part of the SOS initiative."

"Movies and TV shows have ratings and cars have safety features to protect our youth, yet online experiences are largely without guardrails. At Didi Hirsch and Teen Line, we understand the impact social media can have on youth mental health and strongly support the protections of the SOS initiative.  Our youth are struggling; let’s make their online home safer for them.”

"Fountain House is proud to endorse the Mental Health Coalition's Safe Online Standards (SOS). We live in an age where social media directly informs our reality, especially for youth, and while it can be a powerful tool for communities to come together, it is also a space full of risk and negative influence, especially on mental health. The SOS initiative will protect vulnerable users, including youth experiencing mental illness, and foster a more positive social media experience for all"

"At the Child Mind Institute, we know our families face challenges with their kids' social media use. While social media is here to stay, we believe open communication is essential for navigating its impact on mental health and wellness. The new Safe Online Standards represent an important first step in enabling families to discuss online safety in a clear and accessible manner. We support the ongoing development and evaluation of these standards and hope they serve as a solid foundation for technology companies to create safer platforms that support the mental health of young users."

"Research and practice tell us that there is a tremendous need for standards that technology companies should adhere to in order to protect the mental health, well-being and suicide prevention needs of youth and young adults who are online today.  As one of the experts involved in developing these standards, my hope is that they will help youth, young adults and parents know which online platforms are safer and guide companies to develop their platforms with mental well-being in mind in the future."

"SOS provides a world first evidence-based foundation for online safety. Led by Dr Dan Reidenberg, the thoughtful and meticulous scientific process by which these standards were developed can bring out the best of social media while reducing harms. As a researcher on social media and mental health, I hope that moving forward, current and emerging social media platforms use these standards, and that these standards can help families have open discussions about online safety."

"Online safety is more important than ever. We developed the #chatsafe guidelines to help equip young people to have safe online conversations about self-harm and suicide. The new SOS program was developed using a similar, scientifically based Delphi research process that included experts and input from those using online platforms. The new Standards will help provide much needed guidance to the public on the safety of these platforms and accountability for the technology companies when it comes to addressing mental health, well-being and suicide-related content."

"Safe In Our World is the global mental health charity for gamers and industry professionals. As such, we truly believe in the power of online spaces to offer a lifeline for young people, but that these spaces need to be effectively moderated to remain safe, healthy communities. It's wonderful to see The Mental Health Coalition launching their SOS initiative to ensure we protect children and young people from harm and create spaces to foster positive mental wellbeing."

"Most tech was designed without mental health in mind. The consequences have been devastating for some kids and families. These standards will help tech companies build new products that purposely and proactively promote user mental, biological, and social well-being."

“Greater transparency is essential so that parents—not algorithms or influencers—can guide the conversations about safety and well-being for kids,” said Nicole Hockley, co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise and mother of Dylan who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy. “Clear, data-driven guardrails can help platforms better identify and limit youth exposure to harmful or inappropriate material, while ensuring parents are better equipped with the information they need to keep their children safe.”