Between likes and silences: childhood at digital risk

Abstract

Child sexual exploitation in cyberspace constitutes a growing and highly complex phenomenon that challenges protective legislation and public policies. This article analyzes how digital platforms have become spaces of vulnerability, while simultaneously generating social and political disputes over rights and responsibilities. Based on a critical literature review, we articulate the contributions of authors such as Gil, Minayo, Fonseca, Nascimento and Maraschin, in addition to legislations such as the 1988 Federal Constitution, the Statute of Children and Adolescents, and Law No. 13,431/2017. The results highlight factors that intensify digital exploitation, such as the adultification of childhood, the commodification of images, and weaknesses in criminal investigation, while emphasizing discursive disputes surrounding the categories “sexual abuse,” “sexual exploitation,” and “pedophilia.” We conclude that effective confrontation requires intersectoral, international, and educational actions, aimed not only at punishment but also at prevention and the promotion of emancipatory practices that safeguard the dignity of childhood.