UN Committee on Child Rights issues recommendations to protect children’s rights in the digital environment

The UN Child Rights Committee made up of 18 individual experts, has published a legal guidance note also known as the general comment on how states should protect children’s rights with regard to the digital environment. This general comment 25 is a result of two year consultation with states, inter-governmental organizations, civil society, national human rights institutions and children.

In  the general comments the committee emphasizes that the rights of every child must be respected, protected in the  online world and children should have meaningful access to age-appropriate  content from trusted sources to empower them. The committee recommends that states should enforce legislative and administrative measures to protect children from online harm and misleading content, ensure businesses respect and protect the rights of children online. The committee emphasised the importance of protecting the privacy of children, consent based data collection or surveillance, ensuring both children and parents have easy access and ability to delete data stored by public authorities or private companies.