About the rights of children in the digital world
2021
About the rights of children
in the digital world
On 2 March 2021, The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child adopted General Comment No. 25 on children’s rights concerning the digital environment. This document is the result of three years of work that also actively involved children from all around the world in its composition.
The paper is essential in providing a long-lacking comprehensive framework to the rights of children in the digital world. It outlines a framework for the rights of children online in terms of the right to non-discrimination, the best interest of the child, the right to life, survival and development, and the respect for the child’s views. Further, it explains the role of State parties in the implementation of this framework.
This document considers the needs of children in the online space, which were previously not sufficiently different from those of adults. It recognises the increasing importance of the internet in the lives of children and the necessity for a framework that can account for its rapidly changing nature.
This will have a notable positive influence on the future of youth information. With much of youth information now involving the digital world, having a comprehensive framework on the rights of children online will necessarily improve the transmission of media and information literacy skills. In subpoint H of point V, the Committee notes the necessity of cooperating with non-governmental organisations, and the importance of ensuring the implementation of the activities of civil society relating to children’s rights in the digital sphere. Together with this framework, we can provide sufficient answers to young people learning about the nature of data and their rights towards it: What really happens to my data?
In short, we welcome the inclusive and cooperative framework provided by this document, which also outlines the importance of organisations such as ERYICA. It will undoubtedly have a positive effect in solidifying the role of youth information in the digital world.
