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IGF 2024 WS #175 Implementing children's rights in the digital environment

    Organizer 1: Marie-Eve Nadeau, 5Rights Foundation
    Organizer 2: Barrington-Leach Leanda, 5Rights Foundation
    Organizer 3: Maria Góes de Mello, 🔒
    Organizer 4: João Coelho, 🔒

    Speaker 1: Pedro Hartung, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
    Speaker 2: Nidhi Ramesh, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
    Speaker 3: Sonia Livingstone, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)

    Moderator

    Barrington-Leach Leanda, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)

    Online Moderator

    Maria Góes de Mello, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)

    Rapporteur

    Marie-Eve Nadeau, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)

    Format

    Roundtable
    Duration (minutes): 90
    Format description: The round table is an ideal format for this workshop, as it facilitates more dynamic participation and is highly conducive to exchange.

    After each speaker has taken the floor for an initial intervention, the panel will open a discussion between the panellists, to which the audience will also be invited to contribute.

    Policy Question(s)

    What are the existing regulatory frameworks at the national and international levels aimed at protecting children's rights in the digital environment and how effective are these frameworks in addressing emerging challenges and ensuring a safe and rights-respecting digital space for children?

    What lessons can be learned from existing regulations and best practices in different jurisdictions, and how can this knowledge be leveraged to inform the convergence towards consistent standards and guidelines?

    What are the specific gaps in existing legal frameworks to adequately address emerging risks for children?

    What will participants gain from attending this session? Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of how children’s rights in the digital environment are currently implemented in practice, particularly looking at legal and policy frameworks for accountability in this regard.

    They will gain insight and knowledge into existing regulations implementing children’s rights, identifying strengths, weaknesses, areas for improvement, and best practices from diverse jurisdictions.

    Description:

    The digital environment plays an increasingly significant role across most aspects of children’s lives. One in three internet users is a child, and children’s development, their relationships, education and play, are increasingly mediated by digital technologies.

    Since the adoption of General Comment No. 25 by the Committee on the Rights of the Child, which sets out how children's rights apply in the digital environment, we have witnessed the emergence of legislative and regulatory initiatives aimed at promoting a safe and rights-respecting digital environment. Australia, the European Union, the African Union, the United Kingdom, California & Maryland have all passed legislation relating to the implementation of children's rights in the digital environment, while a growing number of jurisdictions, from the US to Indonesia, have draft regulations under consideration.

    This panel will bring together experts, advocates and children from different parts of the world to discuss emerging international developments in implementing children's rights in the digital environment, and how current legal frameworks effectively operationalize General comment 25. It will examine international best practices, the coherence of legal and regulatory frameworks, and identify gaps.

    Expected Outcomes

    The workshop outcomes would highlight key principles and approaches that could serve as a foundation for the convergence towards consistent international standards and guidelines. It would inform actionable information and best practices to stimulate our efforts in the global dialogue on the implementation of children's rights in the Digital. These ideas will resonate with industry, political institutions, governments and intergovernmental bodies, and guide future actions and policies.

    Hybrid Format: Our goal is to ensure a balanced online and in-person participation during this session. To achieve this, we will alternate between online and in-person speakers to give everyone an equal opportunity to engage. Additionally, we have established an internal communication channel to facilitate coordination between the two moderators, ensuring that both groups have equal interactivity. And a screen will display online participants in the session room.