Quite a bit of work goes into policymaking – both on platforms and in countries across the world. Policymakers and platforms are so often focused on the technical and multifaceted processes involved with policy formulation. They identify a problem, carry out in-depth research and analysis, engage stakeholders, design policy options or iterations, conduct more consultations and negotiations and eventually draft and adopt the policies. It makes sense that after such an arduous process, there should be nothing left to be done but to publish the policy.
However, after policy creation comes policy communication – and the latter is quite as rigorous and as crucial as the former. Both have to work hand in hand for adoption to be successful. “High-quality communication is an integral component of the policy development process”1.
Policy accessibility extends beyond simply making the document available across formats or translating it into local languages.
It involves presenting the policy in a way that is engaging, interesting, and enlightening; considering the communication preferences of the target audience. Audience segmentation is not merely a marketing phenomenon, but a concept that can (and should) be deployed by policymakers and platforms alike to effectively reach the right audience, with the right message, in the right way. Effective policy communication ensures that the message is not only disseminated but also comprehended and internalised by the audience.
Especially for today’s children and young people, who are coming of age in a hyper-visual world, effective policy communication will be a result of interdisciplinary cooperation between policymakers, communication designers and social scientists.
Case Studies
A previous article explored Pinterest’s policies around children and young users.
In communicating those policies, the platform leveraged the power of design. Utilising summarised text, bold fonts, bright and engaging images, and animated graphics, Pinterest effectively re-formatted its worded policies and presented them in the simplest form to its teenage audience (e.g. announcing the adoption of the policy with a one-minute video.)
YouTube Kids
YouTube Kids has a “Notice for Children” written in plain fine print. The notice details the information collected by the platform and other information on privacy-related matters. The platform also has a “Privacy Notice” equally written in fine print and nothing more.
LEGO
LEGO, on the other hand, presents its privacy policy in a kid-friendly animation explainer video with a Lego Character called “Captain Safety”. The 1:30 video explains in really simple terms what kind of data LEGO collects and how the platform processes personal data. LEGO goes ahead to present the text version of the policies but ensures to use simple language and also to clarify words that may be too high-sounding for children. For instance, it says “Our subsidiaries (the other companies in the LEGO Group) may sometimes need to access your information” or before sharing its cookie policy, it defines cookies; “Cookies are small data files that your browser places on your computer or device.”
This kind of communication reveals a recognition of the platform’s specific community in policy-making.
Robolox
Backlinko reports that over 60% of Robolox users are aged 16 and below. However, on the online game platform, community standards, policies, terms of use, privacy notices and so on are presented in advanced language and design. They use words such as ‘predatory’, ‘exploitation material’, ‘condoning, or glorifying terrorist extremist ideologies’. Apart from this, the wordiness of the policy does not anticipate the attention span or level of maturity of its users, which, by the way, the platform clearly says that it anticipates users below 13.
Policies as Letters
Perhaps platforms would communicate their policies better to children and young people if they embraced the radical idea that policies are like letters to be read. Hardly anyone writes a letter in a form which they know would be incomprehensible to its recipient. Platforms must frame the wording, design and presentation of their policies in a way that facilitates understanding and comprehension for their community.
Platform policies should not merely be legal documents drafted by highly intelligent and scholarly individuals who understand the legal complexities and implications of user interaction on digital platforms.
They should rather be regarded as communication directed at users to inform, educate and protect them. Especially for a community of children who not only have varying levels of cognitive development but also particularly need to be empowered to recognise predatory behaviour online and be responsible digital citizens, platforms must go the extra mile to adapt policy communication to suit their communication needs.
General Children-Appropriate Elements
Some communication elements to consider for effective policy communication with young people are:
- Age-appropriate language: Using age-appropriate, straightforward language to explain policies.
- Visual Aids: Incorporating illustrations, infographics, and videos to make policies more engaging and easier to understand.
- Interactive Elements: Using quizzes, games, and interactive content to help children learn about the policies in an engaging manner.
Conclusion
Only about 1 in 5 adults read privacy policies before agreeing to them2. It stands to reason that this number is much lower among children. Children are more likely to fall for deceptive marketing and commit privacy blunders. Platforms must be responsible enough to ditch the legalese and technical wordings and present the facts of the policies to the children in simple and clear language. The only way the information in the policies can truly empower children to take charge of their data and activity online is if they comprehend them.
- “Effective Policy Communications”, Global Government Forum,https://www.globalgovernmentforum.com/effective-policy-communications/ ↩︎
- “Americans and Privacy: Confused ad Feeling Lack of Control Over Their Personal Information”, Pew, https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2019/11/15/americans-and-privacy-concerned-confused-and-feeling-lack-of-control-over-their-personal-information/ ↩︎
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