Protection of minors online : available regulatory approaches

Abstract

If the second half of the 20th century saw the flourishing of a wide range of new technologies, the 21st century is the time in which such technologies become ubiquitous. In particular, the Internet, originally designed as a system of communication for military services in case of default of radio systems, is now the most widespread technology globally, providing the easiest and cheapest way to connect users from different parts of the world. Needless to say, the most prominent users of interchangeable devices for the interactive use of the Internet are minors, either during their childhood or their teenage years. The widening of this new class of users, on the one hand, is a trigger for public policy to “revitalise agendas of informal education, health and lifestyle advice, and civic participation”, but, on the other hand, it multiplies the difficulties of policymakers, who have become more and more concerned about the risks and perils that minors face during their online surfing activities. This paper will try to address the regulatory solutions put forward for the different types of risk that minors can encounter online, analyzing their scope and potential flaws in order to provide a set of criteria that could be taken into account in the drafting process of such policies.