The LEGO Group

Protecting children from the risks of online play across Asia Pacific

Children spend more time online than ever; they face risks never before imagined. The LEGO Group, the company behind the iconic LEGO® bricks, has a strategic commitment to helping kids everywhere learn through play and wanted to contribute a solution to this challenge. Working with policymakers and regulators throughout Asia Pacific, the LEGO Group sought to understand and find policy solutions to help today’s children navigate the new digital landscape, while also progressing the company’s ambition to advocate for the well-being of children.

CHALLENGE

As play is increasingly digital, children today face new and unprecedented risks. Hacking, invasion of privacy and child safety are the next frontier for safe parenting. Despite the dangers being widely recognized, discussions on the best policies and regulations to combat them were relatively nascent across Asia Pacific. The LEGO Group sought ways to engage the policy discussion to help create a safe and beneficial digital play experience for children.

SOLUTION

The LEGO Group’s Government and Public Affairs team engaged APCO to better understand the regional environment and local nuances within four APAC markets. APCO investigated current market trends, regulations and stakeholders governing digital engagement with children, seeking to identify ways to impact policy to level the often-uneven ground between accessible technology and children’s safety. Our recommendations informed the LEGO Group’s approach to engage in policy discussions through innovative research that incorporates the voices of all key stakeholders, including children.

IMPACT

By looking at uncommon ways to address this challenge, APCO was able to structure the LEGO Group’s engagement with policymakers and regulators to enhance the overall understanding of the challenges and expectations of children and relevant stakeholders. This engagement not only helped drive the change needed to get the best out of technology, but also enhanced awareness of the company’s efforts at delivering beneficial digital play for children that considers their well-being.

lego offices

The Singapore office for THE LEGO Group. Photo: LEGO

LEGO meeting with LEGO tree

A model created by a participant during the creative LEGO play activity at the Children’s Digital Citizenship roundtable in Seoul, South Korea. Photo: APCO

meeting with LEGO

A cross-sectoral group of stakeholders convened in Seoul, South Korea for a roundtable to discuss children’s digital citizenship as a tool for addressing concerns about children’s digital safety.  Photo: APCO

LEGO meeting

Dr. Emma Jayakumar, Lead Research Assistant, Edith Cowan University presents initial research findings on children’s digital citizenship and children’s online experiences at roundtable in Seoul, South Korea.  Photo: APCO