Child Labor in the Virtual Space and Its Consequences

Today, we are faced with a new term called "child labor in the virtual space" or "Instagram child labor," where children are not poor like traditional child laborers in the real world. These are children whose daily activities are displayed in the virtual space with the aim of earning income. They have a large number of followers and face numerous harms and problems. Previously, child labor referred to children who earned income by selling goods on the streets or collecting waste, but easy access to social networks and the internet has given rise to a different type of child with different conditions compared to traditional child laborers. The legislator in Iran has taken steps to pass various laws regarding child labor, but it has not paid much attention to the social problem and the emerging phenomenon of modern child labor. Perhaps this is because the harms of exploitation, forced labor, and the instrumental use of children in the virtual space do not seem significant. By amending laws, criminalizing these behaviors, and developing appropriate laws and monitoring the activities of children in the virtual space, the legislator can find a solution to these problems. This research examines the legal and normative aspects of child labor in the virtual space in the domestic and international arenas using a descriptive-analytical method and a library research approach. It also addresses the harms of the virtual space for children and children's rights in the virtual space.