International Legal Safeguards for Children and Adolescents in the Information Space

ABSTRACT

The world is on the cusp of a new technological revolution. The rapid development of advanced technology is already moving entire industries into the virtual realm. Global digitalization is penetrating all areas of social life. The contours of the emerging global information order are gradually taking shape. All of this not only opens gigantic opportunities for the development of all countries but also creates new challenges in terms of the legal regulation of cyberspace, which does not always adjust to current realities quickly enough. Therefore, new forms and ways of committing unlawful acts in cyberspace are emerging. The COVID-19 pandemic, which to a large extent has taken economic and social life online, has also led to the transformation of information crime. The potential victims most negatively affected by this situation are primarily vulnerable segments of society - children and adolescents. According to Interpol and Europol reports, there has been a significant increase over the past few years in material that contains child sexual abuse, especially in the streaming format, as well as an increase in the effectiveness of the Dark Web at adapting to such criminal activity.