CHILDHOOD ADULTIZATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE LIABILITY OF LEGAL GUARDIANS WITHIN THE BRAZILIAN LEGAL SYSTEM

Abstract

This article analyzes the phenomenon of childhood adultization on social media and the possibility of criminal liability of legal guardians within the Brazilian legal system. The increasing exposure of children in the digital environment has raised concerns regarding the violation of fundamental rights, especially those related to dignity, image, and integral protection. The study seeks to investigate to what extent the undue exposure of children, particularly in situations that evidence adultization, may exceed the limits of parental authority and lead to legal consequences. To this end, a qualitative methodology is adopted, based on bibliographic research and legislative analysis, grounded in norms such as the Federal Constitution, the Statute of the Child and Adolescent (ECA), and Law No. 14,811/2024. Initially, the evolution of the legal protection of childhood in Brazil is addressed, highlighting the doctrine of integral protection. Next, it analyzes the concept of childhood adultization, its manifestations on social media, and its impacts on child development. Subsequently, the criminal liability of legal guardians is examined, considering the duties inherent to parental authority and possible legal frameworks. It concludes that the undue exposure of a child can constitute a violation of fundamental rights, making the liability of guardians possible when there is harm to child development or dignity, reinforcing the need for effective protection in the digital environment.