2 Introduction 2.1 Background The Tech Coalition is an alliance of global tech companies working together to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse (OCSEA), which is one of the most egregious harms that exist in the tech industry. To address the cross-platform nature of OCSEA, the Tech Coalition is launching the Lantern Program, a new signal sharing initiative that will enable technology companies to send and receive online identi昀椀ers or indicators (“signals”) of suspected or known child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), OCSEA, and/or related activity. The primary purpose of the Lantern Program is to protect the rights of children by supporting companies in their efforts to address OCSEA-related harms. However, the Tech Coalition recognizes that the use of a cross-platform signal sharing program by companies may have unintended adverse impacts on human rights, such as privacy, nondiscrimination, and freedom of expression. The Tech Coalition aims to embed respect for human rights into the program from the start by undertaking a human rights impact assessment (HRIA) to identify and assess these potential adverse human impacts as part of the development and launch of the Lantern Program. 1 and associated company and regulatory efforts to address OCSEA have The increase of OCSEA given rise to a public policy debate on how to most effectively pursue online child safety while also 2 While this debate is sometimes framed as pitting child safety advocates protecting human rights. against digital rights advocates in the name of different rights and rightsholders, the reality is much more nuanced. There are a wide range of interconnected human rights impacted by both OCSEA and corresponding CSEA-mitigation efforts, and it is important that the full range of human rights impacts are identi昀椀ed and addressed. A human rights-based approach considers the full range of human rights issues at stake and allows for an analysis of the nuances and tensions. It gives special consideration to the needs of individuals from groups or populations that may be at heightened risk of becoming vulnerable or marginalized, including 3 children, who are particularly vulnerable to online risks. 1 Severe Child Sexual Abuse Material Online Has More Than Doubled Since 2020: Internet Watch Foundation Report. 2 European Commission’s Online CSAM Proposal Fails to Find Right Solutions to Tackle Child Sexual Abuse: European Digital Rights network (EDRi). 3 A 2021 study in the UK showed that vulnerable young people can be up to seven times more likely to experience online harm. BSR TECH COALITION HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACT ASSESSMENT 10