Ethical Ai For Young Digital Citizens: A Call To Action On Privacy Governance

Austin Shouli, Vancouver Island University

Ankur Barthwal, Vancouver Island University

Molly Campbell, Vancouver Island University

Ajay Kumar Shrestha, Vancouver Island University

Date

01/2026

AI Overview

Why it matters

AI is increasingly embedded in youth-facing technologies, but current governance mechanisms fail to protect young digital citizens from unique privacy risks, opaque algorithms, and data commodification while excluding them from policy design.

Study at a glance

Question: How can AI privacy governance be structured to center youth perspectives across education, regulation, and system design?
Setting and data: Canada, United States, and European Union contexts; synthesizes literature regarding young digital citizens, parents, educators, and AI professionals.
Method: Conceptual and policy analysis synthesizing prior literature and multi-stakeholder perspectives.

Key findings

Stakeholder expectations are fundamentally misaligned: youth prioritize autonomy, parents emphasize protection, and AI professionals focus on efficiency and technical compliance.
Current privacy frameworks rely on complex consent mechanisms that lead to a consent paradox where young users agree to terms without understanding data collection.
Current AI literacy initiatives in schools remain disjointed, lack structured guidance on AI privacy risks, and depend largely on individual educators acting on their own volition.

Summary drafted with AI from the full paper and may contain errors. See the full paper for details.

The rapid expansion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in digital platforms used by youth has created significant challenges related to privacy, autonomy, and data protection. While AI-driven personalization offers enhanced user experiences, it often operates without clear ethical boundaries, leaving young users vulnerable to data exploitation and algorithmic biases. This paper presents a call to action for ethical AI governance, advocating for a structured framework that ensures youth-centred privacy protections, transparent data practices, and regulatory oversight. We outline key areas requiring urgent intervention, including algorithmic transparency, privacy education, parental data-sharing ethics, and accountability measures. Through this approach, we seek to empower youth with greater control over their digital identities and propose actionable strategies for policymakers, AI developers, and educators to build a fairer and more accountable AI ecosystem.