Deadly challenges and dangerous trends: Ukraine proposes to strengthen the protection of children online

Smartphones and social networks have become an integral part of the lives of modern children and adolescents. However, along with new opportunities, the digital environment has created a number of dangers – from cyberbullying and sexual blackmail to deadly challenges and involvement of minors in sabotage activities.

According to some estimates, about 25% of children have encountered calls on the Internet to perform dangerous or humiliating actions disguised as “games” or popular trends.

Social platforms’ recommendation algorithms play a special role in the spread of such content. They analyze users’ behavior and offer videos and publications that are able to hold their attention for as long as possible.

For children and adolescents, whose critical thinking, emotional self-regulation and ability to assess risks are still being formed, such a mechanism can pose a serious threat.

Ukraine proposes to legislatively define “destructive Internet trends”

Two bills have been registered in the Verkhovna Rada — No. 15395 and No. 15396, aimed at countering dangerous Internet trends among children.

Bill No. 15395 provides for amendments to the laws “On Education” and “On Complete Secondary Education”.

The document proposes to introduce the concept of “destructive Internet trend (game)”. It will be understood as a mass model of behavior on the Internet that encourages students to take actions that may threaten their life, physical or mental health, or human dignity.

At the same time, it is proposed to distinguish such trends from bullying. Unlike bullying a specific person, dangerous online games can be aimed at mass involvement of children in risky behavior.

Principals and teachers will receive new responsibilities

The legislative initiative provides for increased responsibility of school administrations.

The school principal must ensure the detection and termination of students’ participation in dangerous online games. The relevant measures will apply not only to the territory of the educational institution, but also to distance learning and the use of official school information resources.

Teachers are planned to be obliged to conduct explanatory work with students and immediately notify the management of the identified facts of children’s participation in destructive trends.

Schools also propose to directly prohibit the use of the territory and official resources of the institution for photo and video recording of dangerous challenges with the aim of their further distribution on the Internet.

Fines for participants and parents

The draft law No. 15396 proposes to supplement the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses with a new article 173-3.

For involving or forcing a person to participate in destructive online games, it is proposed to establish a fine of 50 to 100 tax-free minimum incomes of citizens – from 850 to 1,700 hryvnias. An alternative punishment may be community service.

If such actions are committed by a person under the age of 16, their parents or legal representatives may bear administrative responsibility.

It is proposed to introduce separate responsibility for heads of educational institutions.

For failure to notify the police of the identified facts of students’ participation in dangerous trends, the director may face a fine of 1,700 to 3,400 hryvnias or correctional labor.

The authors of the initiative believe that such norms should reduce the number of cases when schools hide dangerous incidents due to fears for the institution’s reputation.

From deadly games to diversions: what threats lie in wait for children online

Modern digital threats to minors can be divided into several main categories.

Among them are suicidal and self-harming communities that use psychological pressure, manipulation, and blackmail.

Another danger is viral challenges that encourage children to perform risky tasks for the sake of views and popularity on social networks.

Cyberbullying, hating, and doxing — systematic online harassment and illegal distribution of personal data — remain widespread.

A separate type of digital crime is sextortion — sexual blackmail, during which attackers threaten to publish intimate photos or videos and demand money.

One of the most dangerous threats for Ukraine has become the radicalization of minors and their involvement in illegal activities.

Through Telegram and other digital platforms, Russian intelligence services can recruit teenagers to set fire to military vehicles, damage railway infrastructure, and other sabotage.

Can social networks be held liable for dangerous algorithms

The issue of the impact of social networks on children is also being actively discussed in other countries.

For a long time in the United States, online platforms have had broad legal protection from liability for the content published by users. However, recent lawsuits increasingly raise the issue of liability of recommendation algorithms themselves.

The key question is whether a platform can be considered only a “platform” if its algorithm independently recommends dangerous content to a child.