Belfast design firm recognised for key role in delivering Children’s code design guidance

Big Motive has won two awards in the Irish Design Institute (IDI) Awards 2021 for its work creating design guidance for a new statutory code of practice launched by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) called the Children’s code, which sets out how apps, and online services likely to be accessed by children should protect them in the digital world.

The Children’s code has already led to changes from Google, Facebook and TikTok.

The ICO is the independent UK authority that upholds information rights and data privacy for individuals. Its code says that children’s personal data should be given special treatment when using apps, games, social media platforms, marketplaces and websites and applies to any firm that processes the personal data of children in the UK. It sets out 15 standards organisations must meet to ensure children’s data is protected, such as providing high privacy settings by default, switching off geo-location services and not using nudge techniques or notifications that encourage children to share personal data.

The ICO engaged Big Motive to develop resources that would show how to apply the standards in practice and design services with children’s privacy in mind.

After collaborating with designers, data privacy experts and technology advisors, Big Motive realised every team creates distinct experiences for children in different genres in different ways. Working with the ICO, its response was to create a ‘design guidance service’ with a comprehensive toolkit, comprising do’s and don’ts, checklists, videos and tools that any digital team can use in their design process. Its resources focus on transparency, a common challenge for online services and a key standard within the Children’s code.

The Children’s code design guidance was shared with designers and product teams working on products and services used by children at the ICO’s first design and data protection conference last month. The event included panellists from a number of the biggest global digital brands, including Google, Facebook and TikTok. 

Big Motive was recognised for its work with two awards from the IDI, the first for Service Design and the second in the Design for Good category.

Ali Shah, head of technology policy at the ICO, said: “Big Motive has worked seamlessly with the ICO’s team to deliver the Children’s code UX guidance and we’re delighted that the value of the work has been recognised by the design community. It is gratifying that the judges acknowledged that the work will deliver lasting change that will serve the public interest by creating an open, transparent and safe place for children online.” 

Rebecca Walsh, director of Big Motive, explained: “One in five people who use the internet is a child but the internet was never designed with them in mind. Product teams now have an opportunity to reset how they design online services placing children’s privacy at the centre. The team who worked with the ICO are really proud to have created resources that will support those responsible for designing better apps and services.” 

Stephen Shaw, director of Big Motive, added: “Designers make important decisions that shape children’s interactions with online services. Applying the code opens up opportunities to design better experiences for children and create safe spaces for children to learn and grow in the digital world. With so much of life now lived online, it is important those who create apps and digital services approach this with an appropriate mindset.”

The Children’s code is viewed as a transformative code of practice that aims to better protect children in the digital world. Technology companies that don’t design services for children in line with new code can face enforcement action from the ICO.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper whenever you are able to do so.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper when you can safely.

You can also enjoy unlimited access to the best news from across Northern Ireland and the UK by subscribing to newsletter.co.uk

With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Thank you