As ever younger children start using connected devices, there is a growing need to ensure that they enjoy a positive online experience and develop the necessary skills and resilience to cope with the content, conduct or contacts they may come across online. Far from stopping at safety concerns, COFACE-Families Europe advocates for further consideration of key challenges such as privacy and exploitation of user data, online advertising, online business models, cybersecurity and the new issues raised by developments in Big Data, algorithms and the Internet of Things, as well as blockchain, the decentralized web and VR and AR (virtual reality and augmented reality)
COFACE-Families Europe has also participated in a number of European Projects such as ENABLE and SIP-BENCH and has coordinated the #DeleteCyberbullying project through which a number of practical tools were developed to help prevent cyberbullying.
COFACE-Families Europe proactively advocates for a better internet for children by participating in key stakeholder groups such as the DG CNECT Alliance to better protect children online and the ICT Coalition, and cooperates with organisations such as the BIK network and Safer Internet Centers around Europe.
COFACE-Families Europe has also broadened the issue of online safety by addressing digital citizenship, and is an expert for the Council of Europe’s Digital Citizenship Education project, providing insight from the perspective of families on a range of topics such as privacy, online participation or consumer rights online.
Key documents:
Digitalisation principles (2018)
The transformative power of digitalization in schools: where to draw the line? (2018)
Will the GDPR change the way children use and experience the internet? (2017)
Connected children: vulnerable users or digital experts? (2016)
Digital Literacy: an essential skill for the new world of work? (2016)
COFACE Paper – Cyberbullying: New dimensions through virtual environments and other emerging platforms and trends (2016)
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