Vol. 2, Issue 1, Part A (2025)

The rapid integration of digital technologies into everyday life has fundamentally reshaped childhood experiences, presenting both unprecedented opportunities and complex risks. This research paper, titled “The Digital Childhood Dilemma: Reconciling Children’s Rights, Online Safety, and Legal Safeguards Against Exploitation in an Era of Cyber Vulnerabilities,” critically examines the paradox of digital childhood, where the promise of education, connectivity, and empowerment coexists with threats of online abuse, cyberbullying, exploitation, and privacy violations. The study explores how children’s rights, as enshrined in international conventions and national laws, are increasingly challenged in cyberspace due to inadequate protective mechanisms, evolving cyber vulnerabilities, and the transnational nature of digital threats.The objectives of the research include analyzing the scope of children’s rights in the digital era, assessing the adequacy of existing legal and regulatory frameworks, and identifying the roles of key stakeholders such as governments, parents, technology companies, and civil society organizations. Employing a doctrinal methodology supported by comparative legal analysis, the paper evaluates laws such as the UNCRC, the European Union’s GDPR, India’s Information Technology Act, and the U.S. COPPA, highlighting gaps between policy and practice. Findings reveal that while global efforts have advanced digital safety, significant challenges persist due to fragmented regulations, insufficient enforcement, and rapidly evolving technologies like artificial intelligence, the dark web, and social media platforms.