Filipino youth call for safer AI in digital childhood

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

Nearly 300 children and young people across the Philippines have issued a position paper calling for urgent reforms in artificial intelligence governance to safeguard their rights in the digital world.

The paper, titled “Nothing about us without us: Shaping our digital childhood,” resulted from national consultations facilitated by Terre des Hommes Netherlands with youth from Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, the National Capital Region, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The children said AI is no longer a future concern but a present reality shaping how they learn, communicate, and express themselves daily.

They noted that tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Notion AI, Grammarly, CapCut, and Canva are widely used in classrooms and homes to support studies, creative work, and personal needs.

AI is viewed as a study partner and emotional confidant, especially for children who feel isolated, with one young person saying, “When I have no one to talk to, I turn to AI. It listens without judging.”

The position paper said AI also provides crucial support for children with disabilities through reading aids, speech-to-text tools, and visual learning assistance.

Despite these benefits, the youth expressed concern about AI’s harmful impacts, including misinformation, sexualized AI-generated content, deepfakes, and privacy risks.

They warned that AI-generated “nudified” images and violent content are becoming common online, with girls, LGBTQI+ youth, and Muslim girls in the BARMM reporting increased exposure to body-shaming and cultural violations.

“Some already prefer chatting with AI rather than with real people,” the report said, noting that AI has begun to influence behavior and emotional connections in troubling ways.

The youth said weak age verification and platforms’ slow responses to harmful content leave them feeling unsafe and unprotected.

They also raised fears about how their personal data is collected and used, particularly by AI systems that infer information from their interactions.

“We feel safer in digital spaces that are inclusive, respectful, and aware of the unique experiences of children from different backgrounds,” the paper said.

The youth called on the government to enact child-centered AI policies, strengthen cyberbullying laws, and support localized child protection programs in regions such as BARMM.

They also urged the National Privacy Commission to require child-friendly explanations of how data is collected and used and to strictly monitor high-risk AI systems in schools and social platforms.

For tech companies, the children called for safer-by-default platforms, fast responses to abuse reports, and an end to AI-generated sexualized content involving minors.

To parents, teachers, and community leaders, the youth appealed for empathy, guidance, and shared learning rather than punishment or silence.

“We ask adults to treat us not just as users of technology but as partners in shaping it,” the children said.

They closed the position paper with a call to action: “AI is inevitable. Harm is not. Let us build an online world that protects our dignity, nurtures our potential, and listens to our voices.”