Addressing Child Overexposure and Protection Practices in Brazil and Internationally

Abstract

This study aims to analyze child overexposure on social media within the context of cyberculture, understanding it as a global, structural, and multidimensional legal and social phenomenon. It adopts a theoretical, bibliographical, and documentary research approach that initially examines the phenomenon of overexposure and the adultification of children in the Brazilian context, with emphasis on sharenting practices, the role of digital influencers, social and jurisdictional inertia, and the algorithmic logic that underpins digital platforms. It then analyzes emblematic cases that have driven regulatory innovations in Brazil, particularly regarding the protection of children’s images and personal data, highlighting normative gaps and the limitations of parental authority in the face of emerging technological dynamics. Finally, the study examines international protective instruments, discussing their advancements and shortcomings when confronted with the speed, complexity, and opacity of contemporary digital environments. The findings indicate that, although existing mechanisms provide relevant foundations, they remain partial and fragmented, proving insufficient to effectively mitigate the risks and the symbolic, economic, and patrimonial forms of exploitation associated with child overexposure. Thus, the study underscores the need for multilevel and cooperative governance that integrates normative reconfiguration, shared responsibility among families, the State, and digital platforms, ethical and transparent algorithmic regulation, responsible use of artificial intelligence, and robust policies for critical digital literacy—ensuring that children and adolescents navigate digital environments with safety, autonomy, and dignity.