Protecting children from sexual exploitation and abuse: threats and opportunities of new technologies

"Emerging technologies: threats and opportunities for the protection of children from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse" is the theme of a capacity-building event held in Vienna on 5 November by the Council of Europe's Lanzarote Committee (the body that monitors the Convention on the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse). The event, which was followed by the Committee's plenary session, took place ahead of the annual Day for the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, marked every year on 18 November and dedicated this year to the theme of emerging technologies.

Technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and virtual reality are being increasingly deployed in social media, social networking and online gaming. They expose children to heightened risks of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. At the same time, law enforcement authorities can harness these technologies to strengthen the automated detection and removal of child sexual abuse material as well as to help investigate and prosecute these offences.

The aim of the event is to explore how the Lanzarote Convention's provisions on the prevention of sexual violence, protection of victims, prosecution of offenders, and international co-operation can be used to meet the new challenges. Discussions between representatives of governments, civil society, academia and the private sector will feed into the Committee's ongoing efforts on this topic, including a Declaration on protecting children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse facilitated by emerging technologies that is expected to be adopted by the Committee during its plenary meeting from 6-8 November.

Programme

Background paper

Leaflet for the Day for the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse 2024