Digital children

In today’s world, children are vulnerable to various risks that accompany the use of digital technology. Now experts are saying it’s time to do something about it.

On 1 November, doctors, lawyers and scientists released a new International Declaration calling on the United Nations to protect children’s rights in the modern world.

The ‘International Declaration on the Human Rights of Children in the Digital Age,’ sets out three fundamental legal rights of children: the right to be free from addictive platforms and apps; the right to be free from hazardous radiation from wireless devices; and the right to be free from commercial exploitation of private information.

Screen time addiction

The Declaration points out that social media is designed to encourage addiction, which is known to have harmful effects on children and families. Yet warnings by professional bodies to restrict screen time are being ignored.

Screen time addiction

It says that scientific research shows that wireless radiation has harmful effects on the body, including ‘… headaches, dizziness, nausea, insomnia, lack of concentration, and brain fog, as well as chronic effects including DNA damage and cancer; these physical effects are negatively synergistic with screen time addiction.’

Children’s exposure is increasing from growing number of wireless devices and wireless infrastructure, yet government radiation standards are not protective.

Commercial exploitation

‘Confidential and private personal information concerning children is being monetized by data harvesters’, the Declaration states and child labour, ‘under dehumanizing conditions’, is being used to mine minerals for digital products.

‘The legal duty to protect children and enforce these rights on their behalf is the obligation of all adults, particularly parents, legal guardians and others in positions of authority. This protection of children is a basic legal principle that we believe will increasingly be recognized as a part of international customary law that can be recognized and implemented by every country on Earth,’ the Declaration says.

The Declaration calls on governments to implement appropriate standards, schools to create safer learning environments and doctors to educate themselves about these important issues.

The Declaration will be delivered, in person, to the United Nations on World Children’s Day, November 20, 2023.

You can see the full text of the Declaration here. 

You can sign the Declaration here. 

You can see the media release about the Declaration here.

Learn how to make your home a safe haven for your children with our online course ‘Your Electromagnetic-safe home’. 

What can you do?

  • Forward the declaration to others who have an interest in children’s wellbeing, too.

  • Limit your child’s use of digital devices where possible.

What else can you do?

  • forward this email to others to inform them, too

  • see the latest news in our November newsletter EMR and Health here

  • book a phone consultation to find answers to your questions here.

November 11, 2023

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