This article examines emerging risks in the digital environment that affect children and adolescents, focusing on cybercrimes and the symbolic language used by offenders. Drawing on independent investigations and Brazil's new legislation (Law No. 14,811/2024), it discusses the role of the Judiciary in child protection and the urgent need for digital literacy among legal professionals.
1. Introduction
Brazilian childhood and adolescence are facing a new threat: silent digital crime. Danger no longer requires a broken door — it slips through screens, disguised in emojis, fake profiles and coded jargon. The virtual environment has become the stage for sophisticated criminal practices that escape traditional perceptions of risk and challenge legal action.
The investigative documentary by Brazilian content creator Felca, alongside Netflix's series Adolescence, reveals a symbolic universe that escapes the eyes of parents, educators and legal professionals. Terms such as "CP", "Trade", "Red Pill" and emojis like beans, dynamite or "100" are used by pedophiles and adolescents to communicate, lure and manipulate victims on social media.
2. Algorithmic Failure and Involuntary Exposure
Felca coined the term "P Algorithm" to describe the systemic failure of recommendation algorithms on platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. Once these platforms identify interactions with certain content, they start suggesting similar material — including images of exposed children. This modus operandi makes detection and blocking difficult for platforms and facilitates the operation of criminal networks.
Moreover, many parents unknowingly contribute to their children's exposure by posting "innocent" images on social networks. These photos can be captured, manipulated using deepfake technology and redistributed in international pornography networks. There are reports of photos taken at children's parties in Brazil being edited and published on foreign sites.
3. The Urgency of Parental and Institutional Digital Literacy
Parental action in the digital environment is often marked by misinformation. Digitally underserved families struggle to protect their children in an increasingly connected world. Parental digital literacy must be a priority in public policy and in the work of the Judiciary.
The enactment of Law No. 14,811/2024 represents regulatory progress: it punishes online bullying, expands the liability of digital platforms and strengthens safety mechanisms. The law is not without criticism, however: excessive parental control may violate family autonomy; age-verification requirements may compromise sensitive data; and content regulation may collide with constitutional principles of freedom of expression.
4. Digital Terms: Legal and Social Context
Below are the main terms used in the digital environment, with their respective legal and social contextualizations:
Refers to child pornography. Used as code to avoid detection by automatic filters on social networks, the term is common in Telegram and Discord groups and on the deep web. Under Brazilian law, it is criminalized in the Statute of the Child and Adolescent (ECA, arts. 240 to 241-D), with imprisonment as a penalty.
The exchange of pornographic images involving minors, typically through direct messages or encrypted platforms. The practice qualifies as the crime of sharing child pornography, with aggravating factors when organized criminal groups are involved.
The online luring process in which an offender establishes an emotional bond with an underage victim for sexual purposes — through social networks, games and apps. Brazilian criminal law does not yet criminalize grooming as a standalone offense, but it can be framed as corruption of minors or statutory rape.
Men who identify as involuntarily celibate and blame women for their condition. They promote misogyny, hate speech and, in some cases, symbolic or real violence. Present on forums such as 4chan and Reddit, incels pose a risk to the physical and psychological integrity of women and adolescents.
An expression derived from the film The Matrix, used by groups that promote the idea that men are oppressed by women. Popular among incels and proponents of toxic masculinity, the term is associated with misogynistic speech. While not in itself a crime, it can constitute incitement to hatred and violence.
Continuous harassment, in person or online, intended to surveil, threaten or invade the victim's privacy. Criminalized by Article 147-A of Brazil's Penal Code (Law No. 14,132/2021), with imprisonment and protective measures as penalties.
Systematic psychological violence carried out through electronic means. It may involve humiliation, disclosure of personal content and public exposure of the victim. Law No. 14,811/2024 criminalizes cyberbullying and sets out specific penalties for offenders.
Artificial Intelligence technology used to simulate fake images or videos with real faces — including those of children. Widely disseminated on the deep web, it poses a serious risk to image and human dignity. There is no specific Brazilian criminal classification yet, but it may be framed as identity fraud or crimes against honor.
A segment of the internet not indexed by ordinary search engines, requiring specific software to access. It is a space where crimes such as human trafficking, drug trade and child pornography occur. Police and judicial action on the deep web requires international cooperation and advanced forensic technology.
5. Closing Remarks
The digital space has its own language, symbolism and risks. Recognizing this reality is essential to mitigate online violence and preserve childhood. The Judiciary, the Public Prosecutor's Office, the Public Defender's Office, the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) and law schools must take responsibility for the technological literacy of legal professionals.
How can we be digital when we are still so analog? Our children already live in this world — but the Law is still learning how to step into it. We need to race against time. Today's silence may be tomorrow's irreparable harm.
May the Judiciary become a protagonist of child protection in the digital environment as well. May the enforcement of the law keep pace with the urgency of the facts.
Cover image: Souro Souvik / Unsplash.
- BRAZIL. Law No. 14,811 of January 12, 2024. Available at Planalto (in Portuguese).
- FELCA. Investigative documentary. Available on YouTube.
- UOL. "What is the 'P Algorithm' mentioned by Felca". Available at UOL Tilt (in Portuguese).
- TECMUNDO. "Felca Law: risks and impacts". Available at Tecmundo (in Portuguese).
- CNN BRASIL. "What the emojis used as code by pedophiles mean". Available at CNN Brasil (in Portuguese).