Children and Privacy in the Digital Era

 The new digital era has brought about new challenges. Children’s use of digital devices and their presence in virtual spaces are no longer recreational but an integral part of everyday life, including children’s schooling, enrichment activities, community-life, and social communication. The average age of children owning and using digital devices continues to drop at an alarming rate, while their daily screen-use steadily increases. Digital platforms and new technologies have an immense potential to improve wellbeing and help advance important social goals. But in order to maximize these benefits and assure that the use of technologies generates more good than harm, we must make sure that effective privacy and consumer protection-related regulatory instruments are put in place. To achieve that, policymakers must take into account the unique vulnerabilities of children and youth, and the potential harmful impact of digital technologies on their privacy and online hygiene.