Em março de 2021, o Comentário Geral nº 25 sobre os direitos das crianças no ambiente digital foi adotado pelo Comitê dos Direitos da Criança das Nações Unidas. Esse documento oficial estabeleceu pela primeira vez que os direitos das crianças se aplicam igualmente tanto no ambiente online quanto no offline. Suas 10.700 palavras oferecem uma visão abrangente sobre como os Estados devem interpretar os direitos das crianças com relação ao mundo digital.

In March 2021 General Comment 25 on children’s rights in relation to the digital environment was adopted by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. This authoritative document set out for the first time that children’s rights apply equally online and offline, its 10,700 words offers a comprehensive vision for how states should interpret children’s rights in relation to the digital world.

We all know how difficult it can be to close our social media apps and walk away from our devices. Just one more scroll, we tell ourselves. Just one more peek at a link. And then, suddenly, we’re deep down the rabbit hole of yet another feed. So, if we adults are seemingly powerless in the face of such digital temptation, where does that leave our kids?

Common technical frameworks and app templates used by hundreds of organizations, when combined with technical weaknesses built into devices and operating systems from Google and Apple, are leading to unregulated and out of control student and parent data sharing to unexpected online advertising companies.

The Fundamentals for a Child-Oriented Approach to Data Processing (the Fundamentals) have been drawn up by the Data Protection Commission (DPC) to drive improvements in standards of data processing. They introduce child-specific data protection interpretative principles and recommended measures that will enhance the level of protection afforded to children against the data processing risks posed to them by their use of/ access to services in both an online and offline world. In tandem, the Fundamentals will assist organisations that process children’s data by clarifying the principles, arising from the high-level obligations under the GDPR, to which the DPC expects such organisations to adhere.

Life360, a popular family safety app used by 33 million people worldwide, has been marketed as a great way for parents to track their children’s movements using their cellphones. The Markup has learned, however, that the app is selling data on kids’ and families’ whereabouts to approximately a dozen data brokers who have sold data to virtually anyone who wants to buy it.

As part of our AI for children project, UNICEF has developed this policy guidance to promote children's rights in government and private sector AI policies and practices, and to raise awareness of how AI systems can uphold or undermine these rights. The policy guidance explores AI systems, and considers the ways in which they impact children.

Putting children and their rights at the forefront of the artificial intelligence revolution: Policymakers need to start considering the impact smart connected toys (SCTs) have on children. Equipped with sensors, data processing capacities, and connectivity, SCTs targeting children increasingly penetrate pervasively personal environments. The network of SCTs forms the Internet of Toys (IoToys) and often increases children's engagement and playtime experience.

In December 2020, the Data Protection Commission (“DPC”) published draft guidance entitled “Children Front and Centre: Fundamentals for a Child-Oriented Approach to Data Processing” (the “Fundamentals”).

The control of personal data is critical and sacred to our human autonomy, self determination and ability to advance ourselves. This is especially relevant of our children’s data and their digital foot print.

The Digital Futures Commission is an exciting research collaboration of unique organisations that invites innovators, policy makers, regulators, academics and civil society to unlock digital innovation in the interests of children and young people.

In response to mounting pressure from activists, parents and regulators who believe tech companies haven't done enough to protect children online, businesses and governments around the globe are placing major parts of the internet behind stricter digital age checks.

Unsealed court documents say the search giant sought help from Apple, Facebook and Microsoft to "find areas of alignment."

The recent release of the Facebook Files by the Wall Street Journal and whistleblower Frances Haugen has bought the issue of children’s data rights to global attention. In opposition to this and previous actions, MyData4Children has been working with UNICEF and others to strengthen children’s data rights.

Hello Ruby is the world's most whimsical way to learn about computers, technology and programming. The story started with a book, and now Ruby continues her adventures in exercises, activities and videos. It’s suited for kids age 5 years and older.

UNICEF and the Government of Finland will host the Global Forum on AI for Children. This first-of-its-kind event will gather the world’s foremost children’s rights and technology experts, policymakers, practitioners and researchers, as well as children active in the AI space, to connect and share knowledge on pressing issues at the intersection of children’s rights, digital technology policies and AI systems.
Register to attend the Global Forum on AI for Children!

The EU is updating its’ “European Strategy for a Better Internet for Children“. Feedback is now open for 4 weeks (until 28 October).

The Age Appropriate Design Code – now the Children’s Code – has caused huge global changes. Not that tech platforms want to admit it.

The way mobile games collect information about their users, and the details of what type of information they’re collecting, remains incredible opaque. The fact that it’s all so confusing is kind of the point, obviously. As a result, mobile games have escaped the level of scrutiny we’ve applied to social media companies, despite being – as category – nearly equally popular and far more likely to be used by children.

A Apple irá lançar uma tecnologia que permitirá que a empresa detecte e sinalize materiais de abuso sexual de crianças a autoridades da lei de uma maneira que, segundo a empresa, preserve a privacidade. Tal decisão já recebeu duras críticas do ativista Edward Snowden e da Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).

Apple will roll out a technology that will allow the company to detect and report known child sexual abuse material to law enforcement in a way it says will preserve user privacy. This move has already come under fire from privacy whistleblower Edward Snowden and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).

A solidão entre os adolescentes cresceu de forma espantosa em uma década, noticia o The Washington Post. E um novo estudo aponta que a causa disso pode ser o uso de smartphones:

Em 36 dos 37 países analisados, a solidão entre os adolescentes cresceu significativamente entre 2012 e 2018, com um aumento ainda maior entre as meninas, de acordo com um relatório divulgado na última terça-feira no Journal of Adolescense. Pesquisadores utilizaram dados do Programme for International Student Assessment, uma pesquisa realizada com mais de 1 milhão de estudantes com idades entre 15 e 16 anos. O questionário incluía um medidor de solidão na escola com 6 níveis em 2000, 2003, 2012, 2015 and 2018. Antes de 2012, a tendência era baixa. Mas entre 2012 e 2018, aproximadamente o dobro de adolescentes mostrou sinais altos de "solidão na escola", um indicador da depressão e outros problemas de saúde mental

Loneliness among adolescents around the globe has skyrocketed since a decade ago, reports the Washington Post . And it may be tied to smartphone use, a new study finds:

In 36 out of 37 countries, feelings of loneliness among teenagers rose sharply between 2012 and 2018, with higher increases among girls, according to a report released Tuesday in the Journal of Adolescence. Researchers used data from the Programme for International Student Assessment, a survey of over 1 million 15- and 16-year-old students. The survey included a six-item measure of loneliness at school in 2000, 2003, 2012, 2015 and 2018. Before 2012, the trends had stayed relatively flat. But between 2012 and 2018, nearly twice as many teens displayed high elevated levels of "school loneliness," an established predictor of depression and mental health issues.

O Parlamento Europeu aprovou a Derrogação de ePrivacy, que permite que os provedores de e-mails e serviços de mensagem automaticamente busquem todas as mensagens pessoais contendo materiais que retratem a exploração sexual de menores e apresentem os casos suspeitos à polícia. A delegação do Partido Pirata no Grupo dos Verdes/Aliança Livre Europeia (Greens/EFA) condena essa medida de vigilância automatizada, que significa na prática o fim da privacidade nas correspondências digitais. Os parlamentares do Partido Pirata planejam entrar com uma ação legal. Patrick Breyer (membro do Partido Pirata Alemão no Parlamento Europeu) afirmou: "Isso prejudica as crianças muito mais do que as protege".

The European Parliament approved the ePrivacy Derogation, allowing providers of e-mail and messaging services to automatically search all personal messages containing material depicting child sex abuse and report suspected cases to the police. The European Pirates Delegation in the Greens/EFA group strongly condemns this automated mass surveillance, which effectively means the end of privacy in digital correspondence. Pirate Party MEPs plan to take legal action. Patrick Breyer (German Pirate Party Member of the European Parliament): “This harms children rather than protecting them”

SFV Start! Challenge seeks social innovations to help all children and young people thrive in their lives regardless of their background. We are looking for new solutions that tackle inequalities so that everyone has a chance to reach their full learning potential.

Every child is different, with unique identities and their capacities and circumstances evolve over their lifecycle. Children are more vulnerable than adults and are less able to understand the long-term implications of consenting to their data collection. For these reasons, children’s data deserve to be treated differently.

Toda criança é diferente, com uma identidade única e capacidades e circunstâncias que evoluem ao longo de sua vida. Crianças são mais vulneráveis do que adultos e são menos capazes de entender as implicações de longo-prazo de consentir com a coleta de seus dados. Por essas razões, os dados de crianças precisam ser tratados de maneira diferente.

Identificação Eletrônica e Serviços de Confiança para Crianças na Europa: criando um mundo digital mais seguro para crianças por toda a União Europeia

Electronic Identification and Trust Services for Children in Europe. Creating a safer digital world for children throughout the European Union.

A protected space for kids to experience play and joy through photos, videos & audio. mIKs-it enables kids and their trusted grown-ups to safely connect to daily life, always with complete privacy.

Good-for-MEdia is a peer mentoring campaign for older teens and young adults to share their personal stories, insights and strategies with younger teens and tweens to support their healthy engagement with technology and social media.

‘Data about children’s lives in the pandemic’ looks at the impact of the pandemic on children’s lives, and the wellbeing of parents and teachers, through the lens of new data made available to the ODI, as well as various open data sources and in-depth qualitative research.

'Dados sobre a vida das crianças na pandemia' analisa o impacto da pandemia nas vidas das crianças e no bem-estar dos pais e professores, através das lentes dos novos dados disponibilizados ao ODI, bem como várias fontes de dados abertas e aprofundar a pesquisa qualitativa.