Teens and tweens are online between 7 and 9 hours a day, and this does not include educational screen time. They are bombarded by images and messages that are curated for them, by tracking their taste and choices. Cyber-bullying is so prevalent and under-reported due to fears of being called a snitch. So the need for Digital Literacy has never been greater. We are diving further into a few topics that are relevant to young digital citizens below

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Cyberbullying

More than 1 in 3 children have reported being the victim of cyberbullying, and this prevalence only heightens when they enter adolescence. Therefore it's no surprise  that cyberbullying has been linked to a variety of negative behavioral and emotional outcomes in children and adolescents, deeming it a serious public health issue. 

Studies have even reported that cyberbullying on social media is far more painful and traumatizing for children when compared to being bullied in offline settings. Cyberbullying has also been linked to developmental concerns such as low self-worth and increased school absences.

Negative consequences of cyberbullying also extend to compromised privacy, lower academic achievement, and poorer mental health overall. This pressing issue has compelled global policymakers such as UNICEF to declare that "no child is completely safe in the digital world."

A parent's role is seen as critical for equipping children to cope with cyberbullying and to learn how to steer clear of environments where cyberbullying takes place. For example, nurturing parent-child relationships with open, active communication have been tied to children experiencing lower rates of cyberbullying. Researchers have also looked into the roles of schools, and observed that positive school climates lead to fewer incidents of cyberbullying among students.

 

Digital privacy

In today's data-driven economy, children have become a major source of data for companies. All aspects of children’s lives are inevitably becoming data field. This means that children’s options for what activities they participate in, alongside the factors of their personal development, are all influenced by data practices dictated by financial and political priorities far beyond a child's control or understanding. 

From the moment they are born, much of what children do and what happens to them and around them will be digitally recorded, with severe ramifications for their future opportunities.

Currently, schools teach a mixture of digital awareness and computer skills, but general information science and media education curricula very seldom include considerations of the digital economy and its technological processes. 

Children require not only better technological tools to manage their digital privacy; they also need to develop a better sense of how the digital world works in terms of marketing, business, and government oversight. 

Companies, parents, and the government all have a role to play in developing navigable and inclusive online spaces where kids can have real agency over their lives. The tech industry, in particular, must do more to uplift children's rights and prioritize privacy by design in their products.

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Digital media literacy

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Recent studies have revealed shocking results regarding the media literacy capacity of youth. One study that assessed middle school, high school, and undergraduate students across the nation saw a large majority failing to decipher the credibility of online content.

Research has found that children are unable tell fake news apart from real news, politically motivated texts apart from neutral sources, and in some cases, even fail to recognize when an article was advertising a product. The researchers noted: “​​Many assume that because young people are fluent in social media they are equally savvy about what they find there. Our work shows the opposite.”

​​Both parents and teachers should be more deliberate in their efforts to teach children how to navigate different digital platforms. This guidance involves helping children develop and adjust their critical thinking caps when interacting with different digital mediums. 

Parents should talk to their children daily about the online content they consume to help them develop digital literacy and instill informed digital media literacy not just for projects, but as a lifestyle. Children must be taught to be skeptical of internet sources and the potential consequences of consuming false information.