WHO Unveils 'The Lost Screen Memorial' to Highlight Dangers Children Face Online

The memorial serves as both a tribute to children whose lives were lost in circumstances linked to online harms and a call for stronger international action to protect young people in digital spaces.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a powerful new memorial in Geneva aimed at drawing global attention to the growing risks digital environments pose to children and adolescents.

Ahead of the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly (WHA79), WHO officially inaugurated The Lost Screen Memorial at the Place des Nations in collaboration with Archewell Philanthropies and The Parents' Network.

The memorial serves as both a tribute to children whose lives were lost in circumstances linked to online harms and a call for stronger international action to protect young people in digital spaces.

Global Leaders and Families Attend Memorial Launch

The inauguration ceremony brought together a wide range of international figures, including WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Geneva Mayor Alfonso Gomez Cruz, health ministers attending the World Health Assembly, civil society representatives, advocates, and affected families.

The event highlighted increasing international concern over the impact social media platforms, online abuse, and digital violence can have on children's mental health, safety, and development.

WHO says the memorial aims to encourage governments, technology companies, educators, healthcare professionals, and communities to recognise the seriousness of online harms and strengthen efforts to create safer digital environments.

Memorial Features Children Lost to Online Harms

At the centre of the exhibition are fifty illuminated lightboxes displaying lock screen images of children whose deaths were connected to harmful online experiences and digital violence.

The memorial combines these images with personal stories shared by grieving families, helping visitors understand the human impact behind growing concerns around online safety.

According to organisers, the exhibition seeks to raise awareness of preventable dangers children and teenagers can encounter through social media platforms, digital communication tools, and emerging technologies.

The initiative forms part of the wider No Child Lost to Social Media campaign, which first unveiled the memorial in New York in 2025 before bringing it to Geneva during the World Health Assembly.

Growing Concerns Over Digital Risks to Children

WHO warned that harmful online experiences can have serious consequences for the mental health, well-being, and physical safety of children and young people.

The organisation identified several major risks increasingly affecting children in digital spaces, including:

• Cyberbullying

• Online exploitation

• Grooming

• Sextortion

• Exposure to harmful or violent content

• Harassment and abuse facilitated through digital platforms

Health experts have also expressed growing concern about the effects of excessive social media use, online addiction, anxiety, depression, self-harm content, and algorithm-driven exposure to harmful material.

WHO says children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable due to their developmental stage and the rapid evolution of digital technologies.

WHO Calls for Stronger International Action

The memorial launch comes amid broader international discussions about regulating digital platforms and improving online protections for minors.

WHO says it is continuing to work closely with Member States, researchers, United Nations agencies, civil society groups, and other stakeholders to strengthen evidence-based approaches to online safety.

The organisation is advocating for stronger prevention strategies, improved mental health support, and policies that help create safer digital environments for children and adolescents worldwide.

Officials say governments and technology companies must work together to better address the risks posed by harmful online behaviour and emerging digital technologies.

Public Exhibition Open in Geneva

The Lost Screen Memorial will remain open to the public at Place des Nations in Geneva through 22 May 2026.

Visitors can also explore a digital companion experience that features additional stories shared by families affected by online harms and digital violence.

Organisers hope the memorial will encourage deeper global conversations around child protection, digital responsibility, and the need for stronger safeguards in an increasingly online world.

The exhibition arrives as policymakers attending the World Health Assembly discuss a wide range of global health challenges, including the growing intersection between digital technologies and mental health.