A new framework from the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) outlines how industry, governments, and families can work together to create safer, age-appropriate online experiences for children and teens.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) has released a new white paper, “Balancing Safety and Privacy: A Proportionate Age Assurance Approach,” introducing an informative and practical framework for how industry and policymakers can work together to create safer, more age-appropriate digital experiences without compromising user privacy or innovation.
As technology continues to evolve, so too must the ways we help children and teens navigate the online world. FOSI’s new framework highlights how age assurance can empower families and platforms alike, offering solutions that are privacy-preserving, flexible, and proportionate to risk.
“This is an exciting moment,” said Stephen Balkam, Founder and CEO of FOSI. “We finally have the tools and shared understanding to get age assurance right, protecting young people online while preserving freedoms, trust, and innovation. It’s not about restriction; it’s about creating digital environments where everyone can thrive.”
The white paper draws on years of FOSI’s leadership in online safety and brings together insights from technology experts, industry partners, and policymakers. It emphasizes that age assurance is a collaborative opportunity, not a compliance burden, and showcases how new technologies like privacy-preserving credentials can balance child safety with user control.
Key Highlights from
FOSI’s Principles-Based Age Assurance Framework
- Flexible, Inclusive Approach: Learning from developments in the age assurance technology space, incorporating multiple ideas.
- Balancing Privacy and Efficacy: Utilizing highly accurate technology without revealing identity.
- Proportionate to Risk: Encouraging solutions that fit the context, with stronger measures only where needed.
- Collaborative Innovation: Bringing together governments, industry, and civil society to build solutions that work for everyone.
By grounding its recommendations in proportionality, privacy, and partnership, FOSI offers a blueprint for a future where thoughtful age assurance approaches improve online safety for everyone.
For more information and to download the white paper.
Media Contact:
Amy Bartko – FOSI PR Consultant
480-201-6733
About the Family Online Safety Institute
The Family Online Safety Institute is an international nonprofit that brings together leaders in government, industry, and the nonprofit sector to make the online world safer for families. FOSI convenes research, develops best practices and tools, and promotes policies that encourage responsible online behavior, digital citizenship, and well-being. Learn more at www.fosi.org.
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SOURCE Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI)
