CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS IN THE DIGITAL ERA

Figure 1 - DALL-E created image. Prompt: children and teenagers sitting in nature interacting with technology and AI

On Children's Day, it is important to address the current digital transformation that human society is undergoing, accelerated by the emerging era of artificial intelligence, requiring a collective effort to mitigate the risks and impacts on children and youth.

The association between technological advances and younger generations hovers in the collective imagination, due to the intimacy that these generations postMillenials demonstrate with the various electronic gadgets and social networks. After all, they were born immersed in this technological environment and the previous time, before thesmartphone, it is simply not part of your memories.

This thought is not remotely true, and leads to the so-called digital ageism, eliminating, out of pure prejudice, other generations and distancing the real focus of the debate: How to provide digital inclusion, safely, enhancing its benefits and mitigating risks, for all generational groups, especially for the most vulnerable groups?

The scope of this post focuses on childhood and youth, so we will address some impacts in this digital era.

According to researchTIK KIDS ONLINE BRASIL, promoted by the internet management committee (gov.br) and conducted by the Regional Center for Studies for the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br) of the Ponto BR Information and Coordination Center (NIC.br), with results published in August 16, 2022, found that 93% of children and adolescents in Brazil are internet users, identifying cell phones as the majority device for access. (Nine out of ten children and teenagers are internet users | Agência Brasil (ebc.com.br))

All this technological advancement, now driven by the emergence of Artificial Intelligence, allows for various uses and benefits, as well as impacts and risks that need to be assessed by parents and guardians and the child and youth protection network.

The following can be listed as benefits:

*Education – mobile internet enhanced with the expansion of 5G and the use of artificial intelligenceenable new educational resources, in immersive environments for studies, such as history, astronomy, geology, geography, chemical experiments and many other possibilities, with access to a vast amount of information. Distance learning platforms and educational applications also become possible, and the latter, connected with AI algorithms, could in a few years become tutors for children and adolescents, assisting the pedagogical process.

* Socialization and Communication - Ease of communication with friends and family, especially whenlive in other cities, thus avoiding losing contact with children and adolescents. Participation in online communities and interest groups aimed at a specific age group can be a mechanism for insertion and discovery of sociability, especially for those who have some degree of neurodiversity.

* Skills development - Learning new skills, such as programming and design. Stimulating creativity through content creation platforms.

* Adoption of security systems by parents and guardians to protect physical integrity, with quick location in case of loss or even kidnapping.

         Youscratchsare also present:

*Exposure to Inappropriate Content - Access to violent, pornographic or harmful content.

*Cyberbullying - Risks of harassment and bullying in the online environment. In addition to interacting with adults on social networks posing as children and teenagers.

*Mental and Physical Health - Problems related to screen time leading to mental health exhaustion, insomnia and sedentary lifestyle, as well as anxiety and depression. The Brazilian pediatric society has warned of the risks of excessive screen time in children(https://www.sbp.com.br/imprensa/detalhe/nid/sbp-atualiza-recomendacoes-sobre-saude-de-criancas-e-adolescentes-na-era-digital/) 

*Privacy and Security - Risks of sharing personal information. Vulnerability to online scams and fraud. In this topic, the ANPD (National Data Protection Authority) published a statement on May 22, 2023:

"The processing of personal data of children and adolescents may be carried out based on the legal hypotheses provided for in article 7 or article 11 of the General Personal Data Protection Law (LGPD), provided that their best interests are observed and prevail, to be evaluated in the specific case, in accordance with article 14 of the Law.”

Therefore, there is a need for preventive measures for the correct use of digital media by children and adolescents:

• monitoring and guidance from parents or guardians, who, to this end, must be included and digitally literate, including when using parental control tools and applications;
• Digital education- teach children and teenagers about the risks and how to safely navigate the online environment.

The digital world carries its risks and just like the physical world, those responsible for children and adolescents must take care to provide a safe environment for browsing and using technology.

The big challenge, given the current acceleration, is that both families, educators and the protection network are not properly prepared to implement safety measures and guidance for the children and youth segment, which brings problems for the whole of society and lack of protection for this vulnerable segment.

Unlike what happens in European countries such as France (Les enfants ont-ils le droit d’acheter sur Internet | Orange Bank), Brazil does not yet have specific regulations for:

• Young influencers, some working on YouTube, generating followers and millions of reais (The phenomenon of young YouTubers. Children aged 8 to 14 publish videos... | by YOUPIX | YOUPIX), in a clear work situation or even veiled children's propaganda, giving rise to legal action , some moved by the Public Ministry for their removal.
• Use and dissemination of images of children and adolescents on the internet and social networks, including by family members themselves, unaware of the risks of digital footprints(practice known asSHARETING).

In this last topic, it is important to highlight the current risks of generative AI. Ovideo from German operatorDeutsche Telekom (https://youtu.be/FrdhsX8R_AY?si=oQKLFcoHEzwPx6N7) which uses the technique ofdeepfake to show how photos and videos of children on the internet can be used to create false and harmful images in the future, using the database from excessive exposure on social networks,warned parents and guardians about the risks of exposing images of children and adolescents on digital media.

The same generative AI that can help educational processes or identify missing grandchildren during the military dictatorship in Argentina, by the group “Avós da Plaza de Mayo”(https://www.uol.com.br/tilt/noticias/afp/2023/07/22/designer-argentino-usa-ia-para-procurar-bebes-desaparecidos-durante-a-ditadura.htm) , can also put the safety of children at risk by enabling the construction of avatars and language, allowing adults behind that profile or avatar to be involved in pedophilia.

The transformation of education also appears to be an enormous challenge and plays a preponderant role in this digital era. Educational processes must be attentive to preparing the “future generation of future jobs”, which, apparently, will require increasing specialization, in addition to the ability tosoft skills for this generation that is growing up in the digital environment and experiencing social, emotional and mental impacts not experienced by previous generations, which requires everyone to pay the necessary attention to protection, for reasons including the country's future sovereignty.

Figure 2. Image created DALL-E. Prompt: children and teenagers interacting in a futuristic environment

Current challenges require the family, the child and youth protection network and society as a whole to be attentive to effective protection, preventing abuse and harm to children and adolescents, but optimizing the use of technologies, preparing citizens for an inclusive society and digitally responsible, and thus, safeguarding the future of Brazilian society.

Flavia ValeriaMaster's student inBlockchain e Criptocurrencies from the University of Nicosia (Unic) by the departmentInstitute for the future.

Postgraduate student in Neuroscience, positive psychology andmindfulness peel PUC-PR.

I2AI Associate.

Public Prosecutor in the State of Maranhão.

ESMP-MPMA Research Project CoordinatorMP Trends.