Protecting Children’s Data Privacy Rights in the Artificial Intelligence Era: A Legal and Human Rights Approach

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into digital platforms has fundamentally transformed how children's personal data are collected, processed, and exploited.From educational technologies and social media to healthcare applications and smart devices, children are increasingly subjected to data-driven profiling, automated decision-making, and behavioral prediction at an unprecedented scale.This development raises profound legal and human rights concerns, as children constitute a uniquely vulnerable group with limited capacity to understand, consent to, or challenge complex data practices embedded in opaque AI systems.This article adopts a legal and human rights-based approach to examine the adequacy of existing frameworks for protecting children's data privacy in the AI era.It situates children's data protection within international human rights law, emphasizing the rights to privacy, dignity, autonomy, and the best interests of the child.The analysis then narrows to AI-specific risks, including algorithmic opacity, persistent digital identities, surveillance, and discriminatory outcomes.By critically evaluating data protection regimes, AI governance instruments, and enforcement mechanisms, the article identifies regulatory gaps and accountability challenges.It argues for childcentered AI governance that embeds privacy, transparency, and accountability by design, ensuring that technological innovation progresses without undermining children's fundamental rights in the digital age.