Control characters are special characters in computing that do not represent printable symbols but instead perform specific functions. They are used to control the flow of text and data in various systems, such as ASCII and Unicode. Examples include characters that signal the start or end of a text block, or those that instruct a printer to move to a new line. These characters are essential for formatting and managing data in programming and communication protocols. For instance, the newline character indicates where a new line should begin, while the tab character creates horizontal spacing. Understanding control characters is crucial for effective data handling and text processing.