In East Jerusalem, Palestinian children grow up under constant surveillance—watched in the streets, monitored online, and policed in their schools. Rather than being seen as children first, they are often treated as security threats and potential criminals, stripped of the rights and protections afforded to them under international law. Their digital presence is no exception to this rule.

This reality raises urgent questions: How do Palestinian children in East Jerusalem navigate the digital world? What threats do they face? How do they resist?

To answer these questions, 7amleh—The Arab Center for Social Media Advancement conducted a new study, Digital Safety of Palestinian Children in East Jerusalem: Between Violations and Digital Agency.1 The study, authored by Afnan Kanaaneh and published in January 2025, examines how children encounter technology in their homes, schools, and communities, identifying the key risks they face—from online harassment to political surveillance. It also explores the role of social institutions—families, schools, Israeli authorities, and civil society organizations—in shaping children’s digital experiences, whether by restricting their freedom, exposing them to harm, or providing much-needed protection.

Growing up in an environment increasingly saturated with digital technologies, children today are undergoing what the study refers to as a “technolization” process. This shift underscores the need to examine the relationship between technology and childhood, as well as the influence of the former on the latter. While academic and social discourses often separate the digital sphere from reality, the concept of techno-childhood challenges this divide by positioning technology as a mediator in many central aspects of children’s lives. The study argues that technology has not caused a radical break from the essence of childhood as it was known in the past. Instead, it has facilitated “an evolutionary transformation in it, as children experience the same social phenomena through this technology and live their childhood through it.”2

Just like every other facet of Palestinian life, Israeli occupation extends to the digital sphere, turning it into a battleground of surveillance, censorship, and control. Dr. Saeed Abu Ma’ala frames this phenomenon within the concept of “cyber-colonialism,”3 emphasizing that colonialism on the ground and in digital spaces are inseparable.

The impact of such control is reflected in the findings of a previous 2024 study conducted by 7amleh and authored by Abu Ma’ala, which revealed that 87 percent of Jerusalemite children avoid political participation and digital expression on social media and 58 percent believe their activities are closely monitored by Israeli authorities. Beyond political violations, children and their families also contend with threats within their social environments, including verbal violence (58 percent), bullying (42 percent), and blackmail (13 percent). This is in addition to gendered violence, which is particularly concerning, with 10 percent of female respondents reporting experiences of sexual harassment.4

The new 2025 study relies on data analysis from three focus groups with children, three focus groups with children’s caregivers, and data from six groups of children with whom 7amleh Center had previously worked. The focus groups included 30 Jerusalemite children from different neighborhoods in Jerusalem, including al-‘Isawiyya, the Old City, Sheikh Jarrah, and Wadi al-Joz. As for caregivers, one focus group consisted of parents, another of civil society employees, and a third of school staff.

According to the author, the study is based on a vision that recognizes children as independent and present human beings and social actors, not merely as “potential future beings.”5 Thus, the paper calls for focusing on children’s opinions and experiences because of their underlying importance.

The report has four sections, each offering a comprehensive examination of the factors shaping the digital experiences of Palestinian children. The first two sections explore digital threats, categorized into violations within children’s social environments and politically motivated digital attacks following the events of October 7, 2023. Section three shifts focus to the role of caregivers in shaping children’s digital safety, while the final section investigates the protection mechanisms, tools, and support systems that children turn to when navigating digital threats.

Focus group discussions highlighted the pervasive nature of digital rights violations faced by Palestinian children in East Jerusalem. Within their social environments, children experience threats such as cyberbullying, extortion, and identity theft. These are further aggravated by politically motivated digital oppression, which includes invasive surveillance, arrests, and phone inspections—practices that have intensified significantly in the wake of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

This surveillance provides the Israeli authorities with pretexts to deprive children of basic rights, including freedom, privacy, and dignity. Focus group respondents shared that some families live outside of Jerusalem’s municipal despite holding Israeli permanent residency. If Israeli authorities discover this, they may threaten to revoke residency or access to essential services such as health insurance, social benefits, and education. Such monitoring is enabled through GPS tracking or the use of the Rav Kav card, a digital public transport card.

While the state closely monitors their social media activity, often criminalizing posts as constituting “incitement,” Jerusalemite children also encounter restrictions and algorithmic bias on digital platforms, which censor or limit Palestinian content, silencing their interactions and discourse. As a result, a climate of fear emerges, where even ordinary online interactions can lead to severe consequences, or at least to “shadow banning,” where content is blocked or restricted without the user’s knowledge.

As the ghost of constant surveillance hovers over their routine and daily experiences, Jerusalemite children—like the rest of Palestinian society—have internalized self-censorship. In this shrinking space of freedom of expression and political participation, children avoid posting, liking, sharing, or even watching content related to the war and genocide in Gaza. This study highlights that much of this self-censorship stems not only from external or security threats but also from social pressure imposed by the adults around them, who often assume the role of enforcers, monitoring children’s digital behavior as if they were security officers.

For example, many children reported that school administrators and counseling staff went from classroom to classroom, instructing students not to post anything about Gaza—not even a comment. Caregivers explained that taking on the role of enforcers stems from fear for their children’s safety and a desire to protect them from arrest and legal consequences, which would ultimately fall on their shoulders. However, they also described this role as deeply painful, as it conflicts with their wish to nurture the children’s sense of patriotism.

Despite the numerous controls and restrictions, many children were not entirely deterred from posting. Some respondents admitted to pausing their activity for a while but eventually resumed, albeit with more caution. One girl reflected, “Why should we stop ourselves from posting just because we’re afraid? What we’re experiencing is nothing compared to the people of Gaza.”8 This defiance underscores the eagerness of Jerusalemite children to exercise their right to expression and political participation. In this context, childhood is no longer bound to its traditional role. Instead, Kanaaneh argues, “childhood in Jerusalem becomes a political stance.”9

As they navigate a wide web of restrictions and risks, Palestinian children’s digital experiences are shaped by a combination of gender, economic, societal, and political factors that undermine their rights. Gender-based digital violations, such as blackmail and threats, exploit societal norms around honor and masculinity, disproportionately targeting girls. Economic hardship and underfunded institutions and schools further weaken digital protections, leaving children more vulnerable to online threats. Meanwhile, political violence infiltrates the digital realm, where Palestinian children encounter structural discrimination and targeted oppression.

The study emphasizes the significant impact of the political environment, defined by occupation and systemic violence, on children’s digital safety. This is evident in policies implemented by the Israeli authorities, such as arrests linked to digital activity and the deployment of surveillance technologies to monitor and intimidate children, ultimately curbing their online agency.

In this context, some respondents shared stories of arrest over digital activity, triggered by things like giving a thumbs up to a post, reading content classified by Israel as supportive of terrorism, or even sharing Quranic verses. According to the author, “the arrest of children in East Jerusalem is primarily a political and racist act, and a form of slow violence practiced by Israel against Jerusalemite children.”10

Another phenomenon that has surged since October 7, 2023, is the practice of phone inspections, with more than 60 accounts of this activity reported during the focus groups. Regarding the magnitude and level of this practice, some children noted that “Every school student’s phone would be inspected, also his bag and so on.”11 Children’s testimonies indicated that these mass inspections occur during school raids and at bus stations after school hours, creating panic and trauma among students, teachers, and staff. They also take place at checkpoints and at all gates leading into the Old City of Jerusalem, especially at Damascus Gate (see The Gates of Jerusalem). During these inspections, Israeli soldiers meticulously search the phones, examining messages, social media apps—particularly Telegram—private photos and videos, and even checking the recycle bin for deleted content. Over time, children have developed some tools and mechanisms to deal with these inspections, starting with deleting the Telegram application, especially when passing through the checkpoints, or refraining from carrying phones altogether at checkpoints.

While these inspections constitute a violation in and of themselves, they are often accompanied by additional violations of children’s rights and dignity, including beatings, threats, strip-searches, and arrests. Such attacks, which completely violate children’s bodies, places of study, neighborhoods, and homes, constitute a violation of the most intimate spaces and experiences of children.

Three key stakeholders are identified by the study as primarily responsible for ensuring children’s digital safety: the family, the school, and grassroots or civil society organizations. However, the report highlights significant gaps in the response across all three fronts.

Parents in East Jerusalem face significant challenges in providing proactive digital education for their children, largely due to their own limited digital literacy. At the same time, most schools lack comprehensive policies to ensure digital safety. As a result, the prevailing approach is one of restriction: parents attempt to limit their children’s screen time, while schools frequently ban electronic devices on campus. Hence, the relationship between caregivers and children regarding digital activity is often fraught, with the caregivers emphasizing monitoring and security, while children respond with rebellion and attempts to circumvent restrictions.

Additionally, the limited resources in schools contribute to the use of outdated electronic devices, which are less advanced than the devices children use at home. Teachers also lack formal training in digital safety, often relying on platforms like YouTube for guidance. The absence of structured workshops or educational initiatives on digital safety further exacerbates the imbalance between children’s early exposure to technology and their lack of knowledge about safe practices.

As for grassroots and civil society organizations, the study found that they have yet to develop systematic policies and protocols to protect children’s digital rights and theirs. However, all respondents from these organizations indicated that they engage sometimes in conversations with children to guide them about certain uses or practices suitable for them in the digital sphere. However, no organization has ever systematically conducted training or workshops for children on digital security.

An issue that was repeatedly mentioned by caregivers in the interviews is their own experience of living in crisis themselves, as they are exposed to the same means of monitoring and control as children. For example, respondents reported that schools and institutions received threatening letters from the Israeli authorities and were subjected to periodic inspections.

Unable to protect themselves or the children, adults are forced to practice oppression as the only means to protect children. Or as one parent said, “to be honest, one must spy on them.”12 As a result, there is a general feeling of helplessness, guilt, and negligence. In response, children use possibilities offered by technology to bypass censorship from community members, namely blocking or hiding. Some children testified, “I blocked my aunt,” “I have to hide or block them,” “I didn’t block them, but if they sent me a follow request, I wouldn’t accept.”13

Furthermore, a significant digital divide exists: Children are far more digitally literate than their caregivers, complicating the ability of adults to guide them effectively. This generational gap highlights the urgent need for a shared language and improved dialogue on digital safety.

The study also uncovered alarming instances of teachers responding violently to students’ digital behaviors, a reaction often stemming from their own frustrations related to systemic violence. Professor Taisir Abdallah from Al-Quds University notes that the most prevalent form of violence in schools occurs between students and teachers. He attributes this to the daily exposure of both students and teachers to humiliation and dehumanizing treatment at checkpoints, where threats to their dignity are common.14 This exposure breeds anger and frustration, which then manifests in conflicts within the school environment.

One of the most important findings of the new study is that children repeatedly affirm their independence, activeness, effectiveness, and social and political agency in the digital space. In doing so, they become active participants in shaping their social environment. But while they seek autonomy online, their security is continually influenced by the broader social and political structures around them.

Accordingly, 7amleh’s recommendations emphasize a holistic approach across various sectors and stakeholders to improve children’s digital safety. This includes ending the occupation to prevent politically motivated digital violations and urging international bodies to enhance children’s rights in conflict zones. As the author puts it, “No temporary solutions will provide a remedy for the digital attacks on children on political grounds. Therefore, the only solution that can put an end to these attacks is to end occupation.”15

Technology companies are called to improve age-appropriate content filters, respect children’s input on platform updates, and address hate speech. Civil society organizations must increase digital security awareness and provide tools to safeguard children from online abuse. Educational institutions should prioritize digital safety training for teachers, implement protective measures, and engage children in discussions on digital safety. Furthermore, digital literacy must be integrated into the curriculum to equip children with the necessary skills to navigate the digital landscape safely and responsibly. Caregivers and parents are encouraged to develop digital literacy, maintain trust with children, and ensure safer online environments at home.