Children’s Rights in a Digital Environment and European Union Law

Being online has become part of the daily routine for the most of us, particularly for young people. Children are growing up in a fast-paced technological environment, in which the new Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) such as smartphones or tablets provide limitless internet access and with that a limitless communication. The internet changes the way children interact, communicate, play and learn and in this context, it offers a broad range of opportunities. However, given that the dissemination of personal data as well as of violent or illegal content has been facilitated, the online environment also entails new risks to which children are exposed. With the increasing children's internet use, the anxiety that children are particularly vulnerable to those risks grows and raises questions about how policy makers, the public and parents may effectively protect children online by balancing opportunities and risks.The aim of this book is to analyse the current legal framework with regard to the protection of the children's rights in a digital environment. It examines which legal provisions apply to the risks a child may encounter when using the internet and in particular, which instruments have been implemented to prevent child pornography, grooming and the violations of personal data protection rights. It is intended to give an overview of the existing legal instruments on an international and a European Union level, with focus on the European Union legislation and the recent developments in the case law of the European Court of Justice.