Topic: 2025 – Protecting and Empowering Youth in Digital Spaces
Country: Israel
Delegate Name: Nikolai Melnikov
The State of Israel recognizes the safety of youth online as of the utmost importance; It is willing and able to collaborate with UN delegates to make online spaces safer for children internationally. Israel would approve of a resolution to this issue which prioritizes promoting digital literacy and preventing exploitation in UN member states. Israel would be especially interested in establishing an aid program for member states struggling to protect their youth population. Aid might entail funds for digital infrastructure, courts, law enforcement, and media literacy training for youth. Additionally, Israel would favor a resolution that incentivizes member states to stop protecting digital criminals. Israel will not sign a resolution that limits Israeli counterterrorism online, or which leads to the unfair monitoring of the nation’s online activity.
Israel protects young people domestically through a program spearheaded by the national Child Online Protection Bureau, which combines education, law-enforcement, and therapy in its approach. Youth in Israel can call the Bureau’s 105 hotline to report offences and for support. The COPB also actively collaborates with Jerusalem schools to teach media literacy and prepare children for safe experiences with the internet. Despite the Nation’s best efforts, Israel acknowledges that it continues to be listed as having high rates of cyberbullying globally. The nation is taking every necessary step to solve the issue independently, and is not open to UN intervention for Israeli youth.
Israel is interested in incentives for countries that stop protecting digital criminals, or potential sanctions if they do not stop, for a few important reasons: Israel regards nations shielding criminals from justice as a major global issue demanding action. The State of Israel is confident that holding digital criminals accountable internationally will result in a safer online ecosystem for young people to inhabit. The digital criminals Israel would compel member states to hold accountable include those guilty of fraud, cyberbullying, cyberstalking, blackmail, and hate speech. However, also included are those illegally slandering Israel online, because by distributing a false narrative about The State’s humanitarian practices, they are directly exposing the youth to disinformation
