CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH

ECA DIGITAL FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF INFORMATION SCIENCE

Abstract

The growing presence of children and adolescents in digital environments has heightened concerns regarding the protection of their rights, especially given the impact of these experiences on their mental health and well-being. In this context, the present study aims to understand how the measures set forth in the Digital Statute of the Child and Adolescent (ECA Digital) can contribute to the promotion of children’s and adolescents’ mental health and well-being. This is a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research, based on bibliographic review and document analysis. The theoretical framework is based on the concept of regime of information, the principles of integral protection, and the contributions of the World Health Organization regarding the concept of mental health. The documentary analysis focused on the provisions of the ECA Digital related to the protection of health and well-being, supplemented by data from the TIC Kids Online Brasil 2025 survey. The results highlight the widespread presence of children and adolescents in digital environments and point to risks associated with mental health, such as excessive screen time, anxiety, social isolation, cyberbullying, pressure to conform to aesthetic standards, exposure to inappropriate content, and the misuse of artificial intelligence. The analysis demonstrates that these risks are related both to the content accessed and to the socio-technical structures that organize digital environments. It is concluded that the ECA Digital represents an important regulatory response to the contemporary challenges of child and adolescent protection, by establishing accountability and prevention mechanisms focused on digital platforms.