The exposure of children and adolescents to harmful content is the main factor of concern that led to the approval of the new ECA Digital, in force from March 2026 after a vote in the Senate and sanction by the Lula government in September. The main measure is the obligation for digital platforms to adopt mechanisms to prevent children and young people from accessing criminal and violent content, in addition to establishing general rules for the use of virtual resources for children under 18, within the specifications provided for by the ECA (Digital Statute of Children and Adolescents), of 1990. According to Rodrigo Nejm, specialist in digital education at Instituto Alana, the growing importance of social networks makes the digital environment overvalued by pre-teens and teenagers. "When these spaces become one of the main references for meetings, exchanges and inspiration, which includes models of body and behavior, it impacts the formation of these individuals' repertoire", he says. According to Tic Kids Brazil 2025 survey, 77% of users aged 9 to 17 reported having their own cell phone; Of these, 80% reported using the device to watch videos from digital influencers and 58% watch this type of content more than once a day. WhatsApp is the most accessed platform by this age group (68%), followed by YouTube (66%), Instagram (59%) and TikTok (57%). The previous year's survey shows that 49% of users aged 11 to 17 had online contact with content about diets and healthy meals, and 33% about exercise, sports or how to get in shape. For Rodrigo Nejm, the reinforcement of a thin and white beauty standard encourages social comparison and self-esteem problems, and leads young people to make an effort to achieve it. The expert explains that while the resources offered by platforms, such as filters, can accentuate dissatisfaction with self-image, their algorithms present magical solutions to 'fix' this body." According to data from Isaps research (International Society of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery), Brazil is the second country in the world ranking of aesthetic procedures, with 2,049,257 interventions in 2022. The most common practices were liposuction (13.4%) and breast augmentation (11.9%). The research also points to Brazil as the second country in the ranking of breast augmentation surgeries among children under 17 years of age, behind only Argentina. "It's a spiral of promoting social comparison based on an unattainable body model, fed back by solutions that reinforce the suffering of dissatisfaction with self-image", he says. The specialist celebrates ECA Digital. "Companies will have to improve their algorithms so as not to disseminate content that promotes anorexia, bulimia, self-diagnosis, self-medication, or even 'how to suppress hunger'. All of this is prohibited. Society needs to understand that it is not an option to disregard laws that protect children and adolescents", he says. However, Rodrigo warns that the responsibility still lies with parents: "Having a cell phone does not mean that the child needs to access all available applications. The indicative rating for platforms is usually 12 to 16 years old, but reaching the minimum age does not mean that the child is mature enough to access the networks in question." Did you identify any symptoms or disorders mentioned in the texts? Seek psychological support. Want to talk to us? Write to blognaotemcabimento@gmail.com LINK PRESENT: Did you like this text? Subscribers can access seven free accesses from any link per day. Just click the blue F below.