Child rights and AI regulation – a reality check: Ayça Atabey

Abstract

As generative AI (GenAI) becomes increasingly embedded in educational technologies (EdTech), urgent questions arise around its impact on children’s rights. 

This seminar explores findings from a recent child rights audit conducted by the Digital Futures for Children (DFC) Centre at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), in partnership with the 5Rights Foundation. 

The study investigates five GenAI tools currently used in UK educational contexts, applying a sociolegal, child rights-based approach grounded in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The audit assesses how these tools align with children’s rights to education, privacy, protection from exploitation, participation, non-discrimination and appropriate support for children with disabilities.

Despite claims of educational value, the audit identifies recurring risks across the case studies, including opaque data practices, commercial tracking (sometimes from adult advertisers), misleading content and a lack of transparency or accountability. Critically, children’s perspectives were largely absent from the design, governance and evaluation of the tools. While some applications show potential in supporting creativity, communication and inclusion, the absence of robust safeguards and meaningful child participation undermines their credibility as child-centred learning tools.

The seminar considers the broader implications of integrating GenAI into education systems without adequate attention to children's rights. It highlights the need for mandatory child rights and data protection impact assessments, transparent governance mechanisms and the meaningful inclusion of children in shaping the digital technologies that affect their learning. Without such measures, GenAI risks reinforcing existing inequalities and compromising children’s rights in the digital education landscape.

Speaker

Ayça is a multidisciplinary researcher and a lawyer working with and for children. She is a certified data privacy and management expert in the EU and the UK. She currently works as a post-doc researcher in the Grasping Data Project at the University of Edinburgh, where she also has a researcher co-lead role focusing on data protection and data ethics.

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