International Cyber-Bullying, Tech-Facilitated Abuse & Digital Harm Treaties
An operational unit of the Global Youth Advocacy & Intergenerational Justice Diplomacy Division, negotiating binding international treaties that hold platforms accountable for youth digital safety and establish cross-border enforcement mechanisms for online abuse — ensuring that the borderless nature of digital environments does not become a shield for those who harm young people online.
Mission & Operational Scope
Safe Digital Spaces for Every Young Person
Digital environments have become the primary social spaces of young people's lives — and they have become spaces where harassment, abuse, exploitation, and manipulation occur at unprecedented scale. Cyberbullying, non-consensual image sharing, online grooming, coordinated harassment campaigns, and algorithmic amplification of harmful content cause documented psychological harm to young people worldwide. Yet the platforms that host these environments are designed and governed primarily by commercial interests, and the regulatory frameworks that might protect young users remain fragmented across national jurisdictions.
This unit negotiates international treaties that establish binding platform accountability standards for youth digital safety, create cross-border enforcement mechanisms for tech-facilitated abuse, and develop the international regulatory cooperation needed to govern digital environments that operate without regard for national boundaries.
Governing Doctrine
International Standards & Frameworks
- CRCUN CRC General Comment 25 — children's rights in the digital environment, including protection from online violence, exploitation, and harmful content
- BudapestBudapest Convention on Cybercrime — international cooperation framework for cybercrime investigation and prosecution applicable to tech-facilitated youth abuse
- LanzaroteLanzarote Convention — Council of Europe framework on child sexual exploitation and abuse including online grooming and digital abuse provisions
- UNCRC OPOptional Protocol on the Sale of Children — obligations applicable to online child sexual exploitation and digital trafficking of minors
Operational Capabilities
Six Core Functions
01
Platform Accountability Treaty Negotiation
Negotiate binding international treaties that establish platform accountability standards for youth digital safety — requiring age-appropriate design, algorithmic transparency, harmful content removal obligations, and meaningful accountability mechanisms for platforms that profit from young users.
02
Cross-Border Cyberbullying Enforcement
Develop international enforcement cooperation frameworks for cyberbullying and tech-facilitated harassment cases that cross national boundaries, addressing the jurisdictional gaps that currently allow perpetrators to evade accountability by operating across borders.
03
Non-Consensual Image Sharing Prohibition
Negotiate international frameworks criminalizing non-consensual intimate image sharing — including deepfake sexual imagery — and establishing cross-border removal obligations for platforms hosting such content, protecting young people from one of the most damaging forms of digital abuse.
04
Algorithmic Harm Reduction Standards
Develop international standards for algorithmic harm reduction in youth-facing digital environments, establishing the design requirements and audit obligations that prevent recommendation systems from amplifying harmful content, self-harm material, and extremist radicalization to young users.
05
Digital Literacy & Resilience Programs
Facilitate international cooperation on digital literacy and resilience education programs that equip young people with the critical thinking skills, safety knowledge, and emotional resilience needed to navigate digital environments safely — complementing regulatory approaches with education.
06
Youth Digital Rights Framework Development
Develop international youth digital rights frameworks that articulate the specific rights young people hold in digital environments — including rights to privacy, to age-appropriate content, to algorithmic transparency, and to effective redress — providing the normative foundation for platform accountability.