Session
Internet Law Research Center, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
Xiaochun LIU, Internet Law Research Center, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, civil society, Asia-Pacific States
Yiran XING, China Federation of Internet Societies, civil society, Asia-Pacific States
Junhao LIU, China Federation of Internet Societies, civil society, Asia-Pacific States
Han JIANG, Internet Law Research Center, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, civil society, Asia-Pacific States
Nel Broothaerts, Child Focus, civil society, Western European and other States
Emma Day, Child Redress International, civil society, Western European and other States
Hui ZHAO, China Federation of Internet Societies, civil society, Asia-Pacific States
Wei LIN, Southwest University of Political Science and Law, civil society, Asia-Pacific States
Nel Broothaerts, Child Focus, civil society, Western European and other States
Emma Day, Child Redress International, civil society, Western European and other States
Chen CHEN, Beijing Baidu Netcom Science Technology Co., Ltd., private sector, Asia-Pacific States
Xiaochun LIU
Yiran XING
Han JIANG
16.2
Targets: Protecting children from online abuse is an essential component of achieving Goal 16.2. Children face new and complex risks in cyberspace, such as cyberbullying, sexual exploitation, privacy breaches, and deception through false information. These violations not only directly contradict the objective of Goal 16.2, which is to protect children from all forms of violence, but they may also have long-term negative impacts on children’s mental health, social relationships, and future development. Therefore, strengthening the prevention of cyber harm to children through the implementation and enforcement of strict laws and regulations, enhancing digital literacy education, and developing safe online products and services will help achieve Goal 16.2 and ensure that all children enjoy safety and dignity in the digital environment.
Protecting children from online abuse is closely related to Goal 16. The prevention of cyber harm to children contributes to social stability and peace, preventing societal tensions and fostering a peaceful social atmosphere. This also requires the support of strong and fair institutions. Goal 16 emphasizes the need for efficient, transparent, accountable, and inclusive institutions, which are crucial for combating cybercrime and protecting children’s rights. This includes establishing cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary coordination mechanisms to ensure that law enforcement, judicial, educational, and health departments work together to address online abuse; enhancing law enforcement capabilities through technological innovation and international cooperation to track transnational crime and strictly punish offenders; promoting judicial fairness to ensure that victimized children receive timely assistance and fair compensation; and strengthening regulation to require internet companies to fulfill their social responsibilities and protect user data, especially the privacy rights of child users. These measures reflect Goal 16’s requirements for building strong institutions and also provide the institutional guarantees necessary for achieving the goals of protecting children from online abuse.
In the context of today’s deep penetration and reshaping of the internet ecosystem by artificial intelligence technology, the protection of children’s rights as important participants in cyberspace is particularly concerning. Especially in the face of the increasingly severe phenomenon of internet-based violations of children’s rights, particularly those of a transnational nature, which pose a serious threat to the healthy development of children worldwide. Therefore, conducting in-depth research on internet-based violations of children’s rights in the age of artificial intelligence, especially transnational violations, will not only help reveal the internal mechanisms and development trends of such violations but also provide scientific evidence and strategic guidance for constructing an effective international collaboration framework to jointly curb the violation of children’s rights in cyberspace.
Roundtable
The seminar will be organized in the form of a combination of thematic reports and round-table discussions. First, the onsite moderator will publish the report “Protecting Children from Online Abuse in AI Age” and summarize the research conducted in this report. Subsequently, the onsite moderator will give a list of core issues under the theme of children's online infringement prevention. Online and offline experts will comment and discuss the report in combination with the list of issues.
As the internet becomes more widespread, mobile devices evolve, and artificial intelligence is used extensively, more and more children are deeply entering the world of the internet. The web expands the spaces in which children can learn, socialize, and entertain themselves, enabling them to access new ideas and a diverse range of information. However, along with these conveniences come risks. Children, being a vulnerable group, often lack awareness and protective measures against online dangers and frequently become victims of cybercrime.
Currently, the cyber threats faced by children include, but are not limited to, cyberbullying, exposure to pornographic content, online harassment, and virtual identity theft. These issues pose risks not only to the personal safety and mental health of children but also contribute to a transnational chain of violations of children’s rights. The issue of cybersecurity for children, especially those in developing countries, has become a global challenge that has garnered international attention. Establishing a safer, healthier online environment for children and creating a child-friendly cyber ecology requires not only international cooperation but also cross-sector collaboration among various entities.
The seminar plans to release a report titled “Protecting Children from Online Abuse in AI Age”. This report, set against the backdrop of the widespread use of artificial intelligence, will examine the current situation of cyber harm to children, especially transnational cyber harm, summarize the core challenges in protecting children’s rights through internet governance, propose governance measures from the perspectives of governments, social organizations, and internet platform companies, and call for cross-national and cross-sector collaboration in the governance of artificial intelligence and the internet, to protect children’s fundamental rights to the fullest extent in the digital age.
Conference Agenda:
1. The onsite moderator will present the research report and provide an overview.
2. The onsite moderator will present a list of core topics/questions.
3. Online and offline experts will review and discuss the research report based on the list.
1. Design an interactive discussion and review session that allows online experts to engage with on-site presenters. Allocate ample time for online experts to pose questions in various formats such as text, voice, or video calls. On-site presenters should respond in real-time, or the moderator can relay questions to ensure timely responses to online experts’ inquiries. The moderator should also clearly define the rules, schedule, and participation methods for the interactive segment at the start of the conference to ensure that online experts understand how to effectively engage in the discussion.
2. Ensure the online platform is stable, user-friendly, and compatible with various devices; on-site equipment should be tested in advance to ensure high-quality audio and video; considering the time zone differences of the online audience, choose conference times that are friendly to most participants. Also, have at least one backup online meeting platform ready to quickly switch in case the main platform fails, ensuring continuity of the conference. Equip a professional technical support team to monitor the system status in real-time during the conference, rapidly responding to and resolving any sudden technical issues. Test compatibility with common types of cameras, microphones, headphones, and other peripherals to ensure that online experts can participate in audio and video communication regardless of their device.
3. Choose a stable, high-definition online meeting tool with capabilities for high-resolution video transmission (such as 1080p and above) and high-quality audio encoding technologies to ensure clear visuals and full sound. Select an area with a good signal to ensure that online experts/audiences can smoothly watch the conference content and engage in real-time communication and sharing of views; considering language differences among participants, the meeting tool or accompanying services should support real-time translation in multiple common languages, covering at least the main languages of the participants, to ensure accurate conveyance of information.