Concòrdia submits amendments to Andorra child rights law to tackle digital risks

The Concòrdia parliamentary group has submitted amendments to the bill modifying Andorra's Qualified Law on the Rights of Children and Adolescents, aiming to address digital risks facing minors while clarifying institutional roles.

Concòrdia consellera general Maria Àngels Aché warned that sharing images or content of children and adolescents on social media creates a digital footprint that can follow them into adulthood. She cited examples like a seemingly innocent beach photo that could spiral out of control and be misused by third parties, potentially harming the minors' privacy, intimacy, and dignity. The group seeks to emphasise parental and guardian responsibility in such sharing, without introducing penalties. Aché described the bill as focused on awareness, training, and shared responsibility, stressing that "not every vulnerability needs to result in a criminal offence."

Núria Segués, the group's deputy president, echoed this, calling for greater awareness among families, schools, and public institutions about responsible social media use. She noted that the digital environment offers opportunities but also risks, requiring legal evolution aligned with international standards.

The amendments, numbering 19 or 20 depending on the count, fall into three main areas. First, they propose limiting Andorra Digital to technical analysis and advisory functions, reserving policy leadership, coordination, and decision-making for the Government and competent ministries. Segués recalled Concòrdia's prior opposition to creating the agency, citing potential overlap, but accepted its existence provided it stays technical.

A second block introduces new digital threats, including ciberseducció or grooming—where adults approach minors online for abuse, exploitation, or sexual violence—deepfakes generated by artificial intelligence, doxxing via non-consensual sharing of personal data, digital identity usurpation, and unauthorised access or fraudulent use of minors' accounts and profiles. The group also addresses digital footprints from parental posts and improved access to protection information for children with disabilities.

Third, the amendments refine roles for device retailers, requiring them to inform about risks like prolonged exposure using materials from the Centre for Wellbeing and Digital Skills, rather than creating their own content.

Segués underlined coordination with forthcoming Penal Code changes, which already criminalise serious acts like child pornography or non-consensual image sharing. "This law identifies risk situations, while the Penal Code addresses serious conduct," she said. The proposals aim to make the law clearer, more effective, and applicable without altering its core spirit.