Protecting Children Online Research Articles

Protecting our Youth Online: A Comprehensive Review on Strategies to Safeguard Children from Online Threats

The evidence about the potential benefits and hazards associated with children's internet usage is expanding along with the global interest in this topic. In order to facilitate comparative study of research findings from lower- and middle-income nations like South Africa, Serbia, the Philippines, Brazil, and Argentina, the Global Kids Online program provides tools and guidelines to national researchers. This study looks at how present child rights laws, particularly those pertaining to the internet, correspond with the expanding body of data. It also looks at ways to influence future policy orientations. It provides information and recommendations for protecting children online based on current research and policy studies [1

The proposed Regulation to fight online child sexual abuse: an appraisal of privacy, data protection and criminal justice issues

ABSTRACT Protecting children online is a priority for the EU legislator. Since July 2021, an interim regulation allows service providers to derogate from confidentiality safeguards in the e-privacy Directive to fight child sexual abuse online. The European Commission aims to repeal this legislation with a proposal of May 2022. This Regulation will require providers to monitor users’ content communication for online child sexual abuse, among other things. Privacy experts worry that confidentiality standards (i.e. end-to-end encryption) will be weakened and that the Regulation will serve as a basis for indiscriminate interception of content communications. However, the implications of the proposal go beyond privacy and data protection and will impact criminal justice rights too. Therefore, this contribution presents a comprehensive analysis of the proposal from a privacy, data protection and criminal justice perspective. It examines the proportionality of the measure and its implications within the Area of Freedom, Security, and Justice (AFSJ). Specifically, it looks at purpose limitation issues in data exchanges and the admissibility of such evidence in criminal proceedings. The aim is to show that the EU, while aiming at increasing data circulation in the AFSJ, might not be ready for this challenge from an infrastructural and fundamental rights standpoint.

CYBER HYGIENE: ENHANCING CYBER HYGIENE PRACTICES TO MITIGATE CHILD EXPLOITATION IN THE ONLINE ENVIRONMENT

The study examines how cyber hygiene reduces online child exploitation. Child exploitation, a term that incorporates a range of abusive and exploitative behaviors, has emerged as a significant and urgent issue in the era of digital technology (UNICEF, 2021). It analyzes current practices, their effects on child safety, and improvement ideas using a literature study. This study advises improving cyber hygiene to reduce online child exploitation. Using a comprehensive literature analysis and systematic review, the study will identify child exploitation vulnerabilities in current cyber hygiene practices and create specific suggestions for individuals, parents, educators, and organizations. Stakeholder feedback will inform incremental changes as the proposed enhancements are pilot tested and validated in realworld circumstances. Policy implications and advocacy for legislative initiatives, industry standards, and stakeholder collaboration to improve cyber hygiene will also be examined. This study seeks to improve children's well-being in the digital age by providing evidence-based online safety strategies. The findings show that user education, technology solutions, and collaboration are needed to safeguard children from online exploitation. The study finishes with recommendations for governments, educators, and technology corporations to improve cyber hygiene and protect children online.

The Myth of Children’s Online Privacy Protection

Digital technology has changed the landscape young people face as they come of age. It has changed how children interact with their parents, schools, community organizations, and the state. Despite many benefits, digital technologies that employ data collection, algorithms, and artificial intelligence pose significant risks for the next generation. Private businesses can collect, use, and sell a child’s data in ways never imagined by their families. Information collected by third parties with good intentions can be stolen through data breaches. Through faulty algorithms, websites can make inaccurate assumptions about young people’s interests, teachers can make inaccurate assumptions about a student’s potential achievement, and the state can make inaccurate assumptions about a child’s risk to engage in criminal activity. It can also feed young people information that is harmful to their physical or psychological well-being. Meanwhile, current efforts in the United States that promise to protect children online threaten to undermine their right to privacy. United States federal and state laws are ill-equipped to truly offer children online privacy protections. There are few legal remedies available to young people whose data is used in malicious ways. The remedies that do exist are insufficient to simultaneously safeguard children while respecting privacy as young people mature. To that end, this Article seeks to explore how current laws centered on children’s online protection are inadequate, and why the obsession with keeping young people safe online often curtails their need for agency and autonomy. It offers a cogent path forward to guide federal and state policymakers as they update children’s online privacy protection law.

A Discussion of TikTok’s Disregard of UK and US Child Data Policies

Children, being among the most vulnerable, require the most protection. While laws have been enacted to protect their physical well-being, many online companies have fallen short of ensuring proper usage of children's online data. The United Kingdom and the United States have taken an offensive stance on the matter by establishing their privacy policies aimed at protecting children online. The popular app TikTok has been flagged for security risks involving inadequate parental consent, unreasonable data collection, and data transference. This presentation will discuss US and UK child data privacy regulations and how companies can learn from TikTok’s failure to comply. The first privacy concerns of TikTok surfaced in 2020, resulting in several nations discussing restrictions on the app and banning it as a whole. More recently, TikTok has been facing a multimillion-dollar lawsuit in the UK regarding the breach of data protection regulations for children. These are not the only allegations the parent company, ByteDance, has faced concerning safeguarding children and their data. TikTok’s predecessor, Musical.ly, also owned by ByteDance, was sued in 2018 for violating the U.S. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). With more child users than ever, social media companies like TikTok are obligated to create a safe online environment.

Challenges of Enforcing Anti-cyber Bullying Laws on Teen Sexting in South Africa

The protection of children from harmful online content is upheld in international and domestic legal instruments. In South Africa, children enjoy the right to privacy, freedom of expression and protection from exposure to abusive and exploitative materials when they go online. However, in recent years, many South African children have been involved in creating and distributing harmful and illegal messages through the Internet. This prompts the question of whether the South African legal framework is adequate to protect children and shield them from cyberbullying or sexting. This study re-examines the ability of South African anti-cyberbullying laws to protect children online. Cyberbullying takes many forms, and therefore, this study is confined to sexting—the participation in communicating nude pictures through mobile phones. This study is based on the purposive sampling of several well-known cases of sexting that occurred within the South African schooling environment. The findings of the study confirm the view that South African anti-cyberbullying laws are less effective in curbing children’s participation in sexting. In addition, children’s creativity with new age-technologies has tended to complicate and undermine efforts to protect the same children from the harms of sexting. The study concludes that many South African parents appear ill-equipped to teach their children to handle safe sexting and to protect these children from becoming victims of the frequently disastrous consequences of sexting, which may even include suicide.

JUST TECHNOPANIC OR A REAL RISK? PUBLISHING CHILDREN’S PICTURES ONLINE: A REVIEW OF LITERATURE

The internet has become an essential resource for social interaction among children, but it brings with it both advantages and disadvantages that depend in part on how it is used. This study, which is anchored in social learning theory, employed a desktop review of existing literature that focused on Kenya but covered global and other regional levels as well. The study found a number of benefits of the internet for children: updating family and friends on new developments in the children’s lives, reviewing photos and other records of past events, engaging in online interactions, and increasing their capacity for learning. Nonetheless, there are also internet-specific risks, such as access to inappropriate content and unsafe interactions with other children or adults. Other risks include “digital kidnapping” and contact with perpetrators who encourage children to engage in sexual activity. Although some countries have policies on internet usage, few have specific policies or guidelines addressing children’s vulnerability when sharing their pictures online. Moreover, most such policies are not applied in practice, especially in African countries. The study recommends developing and implementing policy frameworks to protect children online and using privacy settings to protect their information.

Child Safety and Protection in the Online Gaming Ecosystem

Online gaming no longer has limited access, as it has become available to a high percentage of children in recent years. Consequently, children are exposed to multifaceted threats, such as cyberbullying, grooming, and sexting. Although the online gaming industry is taking concerted measures to create a safe environment for children to play and interact with, such efforts remain inadequate and fragmented. There is a vital need to develop laws and policies to regulate and build minimum standards for the industry to safeguard and protect children online on the one hand, while promoting innovations in the gaming industry to preempt such threats. Many tools have been adapted to control threats against children in the form of content filtering and parental controls, thereby restricting contact with children to protect them from child predators. Different approaches utilizing machine learning (ML) techniques to detect child predatory behavior have been designed to provide potential detection and protection in this context. In this paper, we survey online threats to children in the gaming environment and present the limitations of existing solutions that address these threats. We also aimed to present the challenges that ML techniques face in protecting children against predatory behavior by presenting a systematic review of the available techniques in the literature. Therefore, this analysis provides not only recommendations to stakeholders to develop policies and practices that safeguard children when gaming, but also to the gaming industry to continue providing appropriate measures for a safe and entertaining gaming environment.

Digital literacy and online child abuse among primary school children in Langata Sub-county, Nairobi City County in Kenya

Kenya introduced Digischool to public primary schools to prepare children for today’s digital world attracting a cyber-threat landscape. Utilising a descriptive cross-sectional design within a concurrent mixed approach, the study examined the relationship between digital literacy intervention and online child abuse among primary school children in Langata sub-county. Targeted, were children between 9 and 17 years from private and public primary schools, teachers, parents and policy makers and child protection officers. Godden’s formula informed purposive and random sampling of 384 respondents, plus a 10% (423) respondents for Key Informant interviews and focused discussions. Quantitative and qualitative data was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics and content analysis with the help of SPSS version 22 and Nvivo version 12 respectively. The study revealed stakeholders intervened in online child abuse at various levels using a number of strategies. The study revealed a significant relationship between the type of school and exposure to online. Since the p-value (0.000) was less than alpha (0.05) and we conclude there was a significant relationship between the type of school and exposure to online child abuse. There is need for a systems thinking and concerted multi-sectorial approach to improvement of digital literacy hence protecting children online.

Being a good digital parent: representations of parents, youth and the parent–youth relationship in expert advice

Social concern about online behaviour and safety of children and youth has increased dramatically in the last decade and has resulted in an abundance of parenting advice on ways to manage and protect children online. The cultural context in which this is happening is one characterised by intensive parenting norms, heightened risk awareness, and growing concerns about the effects of ‘over-parenting’, especially in the teenage years. Using contemporary advice to parents on managing adolescents’ digital experiences, this study investigates the ways that parenting, youth and the youth–parent relationship are depicted. Parental roles, in this material, are portrayed as instrumental and pedagogical while youth are assumed to lack agency and judgement. Intensive parenting expectations are extended as parents face advice to be both highly vigilant agents of surveillance and trusted confidantes of their children, with an overall goal of shaping children’s subjectivity in ways that allow them to become self-governing.

Parent’s Use of Strategies to Monitor Children’s Activities Online

Although studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of different types of filtering software, limited knowledge is available on parents’ use of strategies to monitor their children’s activities online. Thus, identifying understanding parents’ use of strategies to monitor children’s activities online and the extent in which parents use content filtering software will contribute to the body of knowledge. The purpose of this study is to understand parent’s use of strategies to monitor children’s activities online and the extent in which they use content filtering software in Gauteng Province, South Africa. The study adopted a Social Cognitive Theory to develop a conceptual framework and identify existing theoretical concepts. The conceptual framework adapted Bandura’s (2001) framework to inform data analysis. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and qualitative, thematic content analysis was used for data analyses. The results of the study indicated that parents do use various strategies to monitor children’s activities online and further apply knowledge, experience, and social support as a rationale for using those strategies. The study further revealed that there is a gap between parents, technology industry and government regarding the use of content filtering software. Thus, the study recommends parents, industry and government work together to protecting children online through various strategies and address the concerns regarding the use of content filtering software. Parents need to understand the importance of content filtering software and discuss this with their children to be able to protect them online without restricting access to relevant information.

Legal Protection For Children Againts Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children Online

The disclosure of cases of pedophiles online on social media in Indonesia certainly dangers that lurk children from perpetrators of sexual crimes. End Child Prostitution in Asian Tourism (ECPAT) Indonesia and the Criminal Crime Reform Institute (ICJR) regard this case of online child pornography as the largest ever disclosed by police without casualties. Online pedophile actors operating on social media Facebook use Official Candy Group accounts. Online pedophile prostitution has involved international networks. Departing from this background, the purpose of writing this scientific paper is to find out about the protection of children in Indonesia in terms of online pedophiles that refer to international child protection instruments that have been ratified. The research method used in this study is a normative legal research method. Seeing the situation in the territory of Indonesia become a place of practice that deviates until the involvement of international syndicates and modes is more sophisticated. Conditions further strengthen the assumption that Indonesia is indeed in an emergency of sexual violence. Harmonizing national laws to protect children online with international standards is key to providing the right tools for law enforcement in dealing with child sex crimes. In the child protection survey in the digital era in ASEAN member countries, it appears that Indonesia still needs improvement in terms of legal instruments related to child protection in the context of regulations and policies in making child protection mechanisms in the virtual realm in accordance with global commitments in which Indonesia is member of several international organizations.

‘The whole world’s watching really’: Parental and educator perspectives on managing children’s digital lives

Teachers are under increased pressure to teach children digital skills, and parents are having to manage children’s online presence as well as their offline lives. Much of the discussion surrounding the issue of children’s digital footprints highlights the potential present and future risks that children could be exposed to. While parents and teachers are expected to educate and protect children online, little is known about what parents and educators know in the Australian context and how they feel about being the custodians of children’s digital presence. The purpose of this article is twofold. Firstly, the authors report on the Best Footprint Forward project, which employed focus groups to qualitatively investigate the digital-footprint awareness of parents and teachers from three primary schools in regional Australia. Secondly, the authors outline an ethical framework that can be used to provide guidance to those who teach children on how to manage their online presence. Parents and teachers were very aware of the issues surrounding digital-footprint management and cyber safety for children, but had little awareness of the positive potential of digital footprints or how to help children manage their digital lives. In reporting the uncertainty experienced by these two groups, the authors seek to highlight the ethical complexities of children’s participation in digital cultures and provide a framework for engaging with these complexities.

Tijana Milosevic, Protecting Children Online? Cyberbullying Policies of Social Media Companies

<i>Tijana Milosevic</i>, Protecting Children Online? Cyberbullying Policies of Social Media Companies

Strengthening Advertising Self-Regulation to Ensure Meaningful Protection for Children in the Digital Environment

Nowadays, children grow up in a commercialised environment, where they are confronted with advertising and marketing on a daily basis. From a very young age, they already display a level of brand consciousness, even starting from the age of 2 years old. Children are an attractive target group for advertisers, as they not only represent the primary market (i.e. they can purchase products or services with their weekly allowance), but also the secondary market (i.e. influence on their parents’ purchasing behaviour) and even the so-called future market (i.e. themselves as adults with full commercial decision-making capacities). Furthermore, due to technological developments and advanced computational capacities, children are being tracked online and their personal data is used for advertising purposes. More specifically, commercial communications are more and more targeted at specific individuals, including children, who have been profiled as potentially interested in or receptive to the products or services that are promoted. Digital advertising formats (e.g. advergames, targeted social media ads, vlogging advertising) and the persuasive tactics behind them present significant obstacles for children to recognise and critically process the commercial message. In this regard, it can be questioned whether the current EU regulatory framework for commercial communiciation – which is fragmented in legislation and self- and co-regulation – achieves at ensuring meaningful protection for children. The advertising industry has traditionally actively participated in the regulatory process at national, European and international level. This has lead to a variety of self- and co-regulatory initiatives, some more general , some more specific across different sectors (e.g. food , alcohol , cosmetics, toys), and formats. Moreover, self- and co-regulation has been promoted by the European Commission as an important part of the regulatory process of protecting children online since the very beginning. The EU legal framework for commercial communication also specifically encourages the Member States to consider or adopt such mechanisms to regulate different forms and aspects of commercial communication aimed at minors. Nevertheless, scholars agree that there are a number of drawbacks to self-regulation, such as a lack of effective enforcement, a low level of transparency and it has been questioned whether it should be a tool to safeguard human rights. Furthermore, even though co-regulation partly addresses these drawbacks, confusion or uncertainty may occur for instance when the structure and procedures are not carefully laid out from the start or when the role of all actors is not clearly described. The aim of this article is to overcome some of these drawbacks, by identifying best practices for the structuring of alternative regulatory instruments (“ARIs”) - such as self- and co-regulation - in the area of commercial communication. To achieve this, a comparative study of a selection of existing ARIs at the national level is conducted, to explore their strenghts and shortcomings. The aim of the comparative analysis is to distinguish those procedural (i.e. monitoring, enforcement and remedial measures) and organisational (i.e. the attribution of regulatory power, organisational structures) elements that could improve the quality and effectiveness of ARIs to ensure meaningful protection for children in the context of digital advertising.

Being Jacob: Young Children, Automedial Subjectivity, and Child Social Media Influencers

Being Jacob: Young Children, Automedial Subjectivity, and Child Social Media Influencers

Protecting Children Online? Cyberbullying Policies of Social Media Companies

Protecting Children Online? Cyberbullying Policies of Social Media Companies

The Communications Decency Act: Immunity For Internet-Facilitated Commercial Sexual Exploitation

This paper reviews the original intent and historical application of the Communications Decency Act (CDA), most notably Section 230, with special regard to cases of Internet-facilitated commercial sexual exploitation. Although the CDA was originally created to protect children online, Section 230 of the CDA has been interpreted by the courts to grant broad immunities to websites facilitating the sexual exploitation of children and adults alike. Through analyzing the genesis and evolution of the CDA, it becomes clear that court interpretations of Section 230 are starkly inconsistent with original Congressional intent, and that the primary way to avoid de facto decriminalization of Internet-facilitated commercial sexual exploitation is to amend the Communications Decency Act.

Where policy and practice collide: Comparing United States, South African and European Union approaches to protecting children online

That children have a right to protection when they go online is an internationally well-established principle, upheld in laws that seek to safeguard children from online abuse and exploitation. However, children’s own transgressive behaviour can test the boundaries of this protection regime, creating new dilemmas for lawmakers the world over. This article examines the policy response from both the Global North and South to young people’s online behaviour that may challenge adult conceptions of what is acceptable, within existing legal and policy frameworks. It asks whether the ‘childhood innocence’ implied in much protection discourse is a helpful basis for promoting children’s rights in the digital age. Based on a comparative analysis of the emerging policy trends in Europe, South Africa and the United States, the article assesses the implications for policymakers and child welfare specialists as they attempt to redraw the balance between children’s online safety while supporting their agency as digital citizens.

Children and ICT European Initiatives and Policies on Protecting Children Online

The paper concerns the opportunities of use information and communication technologies for the education purposes. It presents key assumptions of the European Union policy concerning innovative methods of training and the prospects for their further development. As nowadays one can observe increasing activity of the children and young people in the Internet space out of school as well, making them aware of the dangers on the network and ways to protect them becomes crucial. These issues are the focus of attention of the European Commission, as an executive body of the European Union, responsible for proposing legislation and implementing decisions. The paper presents Member State initiatives and key assumptions of the European Union policy aimed at protecting the youth against the consequences of irresponsible use of information and communication technology. Showing the growth of risks associated with the use of the Internet by minors should be recognized as the one of the main objectives of the article. The paper provides an answer to the question whether described initiatives are effective and adequate to rapidly changing reality.