Children's Rights and Digital Technologies: Introduction to the Discourse and Some Meta-Observations

Abstract

Digital technology plays an important role in the lives of a rapidly growing number of children around the globe. The increased access to and use of digital technologies is associated with a diverse set of risks and opportunities, which in turn interact in important ways with children’s protection, provision, and participation rights. This chapter seeks to provide an introduction to the relatively nascent, but quickly evolving children’s digital rights discourse, and aims to serve as a navigation aid. It starts with an overview of children’s engagement with digital technology, then discusses key perspectives, issues, arenas, and actors, and finally offers a series of meta-observations for further exploration and discussion.