As concerns grow worldwide over the harm social media, artificial intelligence, cyberbullying, and online presence can do children and adolescents, UNESCO is releasing a new international guide to help parents navigate their children through an increasingly complex digital environment.
The guide, developed by UNESCO in partnership with the French Centre for Media and Information Education will be officially launched on 22 June. Before then UNESCO will host an international online press briefing on 16 June, bringing together experts in media and information literacy, education, and digital policy.
The initiative comes amid global debate over social media restrictions for minors, smartphone use in schools, and the responsibility of governments, technology companies, educators, and families in protecting young people online.
According to UNESCO, parents around the world are increasingly concerned about children’s exposure to harmful online content, cyberbullying, addictive platform design, misinformation, and the emerging risks linked to artificial intelligence. The new guide seeks to give families evidence-based recommendations to help children develop safer, healthier, and more critical engagement with digital technology.
