Session 11: Enhancing children’s safety in the digital environment: a gender perspective
Jul 9, 2026 | 2:00 PM - 3:15 PM
CC1
Description
Digital technologies play a central role in children’s lives, creating new spaces where they learn, play, socialise and create, and where their rights must also be respected and protected. Yet as digital participation grows, children face a broad spectrum of online risks that may have lasting negative effects, eroding well-being and trust in digital environments. These include child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) online, exposure to harmful content and behaviours, as well as reduced face-to-face interactions, negative impacts on sleep, physical activity, and overall physical and mental health. Risks often differ by gender: boys are more exposed to financial sexual extortion and exploitation on gaming platforms, while girls are more likely to be victims of online abuse, including AI-generated CSEA, and experience higher rates of cyberbullying, anxiety and body image concerns. Concerns are also emerging for all children about the normalisation of technology-enabled coercive control through the pervasive use of surveillance and location-sharing tools. This theme will address how early digital experiences shape vulnerability over time and discuss how to achieve a safer and more trusted digital environment for children.
