Ahead of this week's launch of the relaunch of their Children's Rights and Wellbeing manifesto, the Conscious Advertising Network hosted a panel on the final day of MAD//Fest titled, "Everyone’s Web: detangling the internet for the next generation in ten steps." Here's what they discussed.

CAN panel at MAD//Fest, with Jake Dubbins, Victoria Ryan, Alvin Hussey, Andy Burrows, and Catherine Russell

The Conscious Advertising Network (CAN) hosted a panel on the final day of MAD//Fest titled “Everyone’s Web: detangling the internet for the next generation in ten steps.” The important discussion took place ahead of CAN’s relaunch of their Children’s Rights and Wellbeing manifesto. The renewed manifesto, which has gone live this week, has been created in consultation with groups like Omnicom Media   Group UK, 5Rights Foundation, NSPCC, and Bernardo’s, and reflects leading global actionable advice for advertisers.  

CAN Co-Founder Jake Dubbins moderated the panel and was joined by Andy Burrows (Public Policy Strategist - Molly Rose Foundation), Victoria Ryan (Content Partnerships Director at Initiative - on behalf of LEGO), Alvin Hussey (Senior Business Development Manager - SuperAwesome) and Catherine Russell (Head of Sustainable Business - Vodafone).

The panel focussed on highlighting the current issues for children using the internet, spotlighting industry case studies such as Vodafone’s ‘The Rise of the Aggro-rithm’ campaign, and the urgency and importance of advertisers’ responsibility. The need for safety by design was a key takeaway from the panel, with Andy Burrows commenting: “We are talking about preventable harm. We need to get to a point where safety is baked in by design; where it’s not an afterthought.”

Brands have the power to take action on this issue: this was a message repeated throughout the session. “We need to vote with our feet”, Victoria Ryan reiterated. Asking better questions of your partners, taking responsibility for your supply chain, and taking responsibility are just some ways the panel urged advertisers and agencies to step up. “Be concerned, not scared,” Alvin Hussey said.

The panel also tackled the question: should smartphones be banned for children? Catherine Russell highlighted that every family and child is different, and that Vodafone believes in providing the tools to keep children safe online. “Taking things away doesn’t work”, Victoria Ryan emphasised, elaborating that tech literacy is vital for both children and parents. Andy Burrows shared that most of the bereaved families the Molly Rose Foundation works with don’t want a ban: the onus should be on ensuring online platforms are safe without restricting access.

Jake Dubbins also led a Deep Dive highlighting key elements of the Children’s Rights and Wellbeing manifesto and shared a checklist of actions for advertisers and agencies to take to ensure they are protecting children online. He closed with the powerful words: “It’s vital we join forces. Take this personally. These are our children, our families, our communities.”

Read CAN’s updated Children’s Rights and Wellbeing manifesto here.