Andorra Experts Warn on Protecting Children from Online Image Risks

Experts from Andorra's police, data protection agency, UNICEF, and mental health services gathered in Sant Julià de Lòria on Tuesday evening for a roundtable discussion on protecting children from online risks. The event, titled "Screens and social networks: how do we protect our image and that of our children?", kicked off the 'Parlem-ne' series organised by the parish's Youth and Childhood Department at the packed Sala Sergi Mas.

Speakers highlighted how parents often unwittingly expose their children by sharing photos on public social media profiles. These images can fall into the wrong hands and be manipulated using artificial intelligence, leading to serious harm. Ferran Jordan, from the Police Technological Crimes Unit, pointed to a sharp rise in reported cases of minors' image dissemination, from 10 to 52 according to late last year's Childhood Observatory data. He stressed that official figures likely understate the problem due to unreported "dark figure" incidents, where ashamed teenagers—having shared or had selfies stolen and circulated—fail to tell parents or police. "If these minors can't even confide in their parents, the police are light years away," Jordan said.

Panelists, including Jèssica Obiols of the Andorran Data Protection Agency, UNICEF Andorra director Dàmaris Castellanos, and SAAS child psychiatrist Maria Giró, outlined broader threats: data theft, identity spoofing, cyberbullying, exposure to pornography, abuse, and violence, plus neurological impacts like sleep disruption, attention deficits, language delays, and emotional dysregulation. Giró cited scientific evidence linking excessive screen time to poorer sleep, heightened irritability, academic setbacks, and inappropriate content exposure, questioning why parents provide devices so early—often due to peer pressure.

A mother in attendance described delaying her 11-year-old's phone until the right age, likening early access to leaving a child alone in a city, and noted parent Telegram groups sharing educational strategies. Castellanos referenced UNICEF's 2022 technology impact study—soon to be updated for comparison—and called for collective awareness, as children currently lack adequate protection.

The session ended with calls for parental training, screen limits, active supervision, open dialogue, and digital education. Parish Social Councillor Eva Ramos announced the 'Parlem-ne' cycle will continue until June, covering topics like academic guidance, emotional wellbeing, mental health for vulnerable teens, and new financial literacy sessions on saving and resource management, based on student and family surveys.