The state’s right to use e-mail communication with teenagers in Latvia

Abstract

"In the spring of this year, a series of draft laws were adopted in Latvia with the purpose of introduction of the national defence service (compulsory service) in the country. Among the draft laws were also amendments to the Law on the Official Electronic Addresses, which stipulated the obligation for young people who have reached the age of 15 to create an official electronic address. This amendment caused sharp discussions in the Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee (hereinafter referred to as the responsible committee) of the Saeima and was rejected by the committee. The purpose of the article is to assess whether the above amendments that provide the use of information technology for the state’s direct (without parental involvement) communication with a 15-year-old person in order to explain to him/her his/her rights and duties violate the rights of the child. The historical, analytical, systemic and teleological method has been used in the preparation of article. Keywords: a child, teenager, official electronic address."