Legal Protection of Children against Digital Exploitation in Social Media Content

Abstract

This study discusses the legal protection of children against commercialization practices in social media content, focusing on two problem formulations: the forms of digital exploitation of children in social media and the legal protection under Law Number 35 of 2014 regarding such practices. This research is motivated by the rise of the phenomenon of kid influencers, commercial sharenting, and the use of children as objects of content that generate economic benefits, popularity, and public attention for adults. These practices have the potential to violate children's rights to privacy, protection from exploitation, and healthy growth and development. The research method used is normative juridical with a legislative approach, a conceptual approach, and a literature review of journals, books, and relevant laws and regulations. The results of the study indicate that forms of digital exploitation of children in social media content arise through the commodification of children as content, the practice of kid influencers, commercial sharenting, violations of digital privacy, objectification of children, and the risks of economic and sexual exploitation. Meanwhile, Law Number 35 of 2014 has provided an adequate normative basis through the prohibition of economic and/or sexual exploitation of children, the obligations of the state and parents to protect children, and the threat of criminal penalties for perpetrators. However, the implementation of these protections still faces obstacles in the form of a lack of technical regulations specifically addressing the commercialization of children on social media, low family digital literacy, and weak oversight of digital platforms.