Youth voices on EdTech data governance in Global Youth Tech Consultations

New article published in Data & Policy journal! YouthView: a platform for interactive visualizations to explore youth disadvantage 👉 https://bit.ly/4hbKCgl YouthView is a cutting-edge platform for integrating and visualizing #data that fills a crucial gap in #youth #policy research. By merging various datasets related to youth challenges, #employment, and #labor market conditions, it offers unprecedented insights into the difficulties faced by young people. Through interactive visualizations that present detailed, location-specific data, the platform enables #policymakers to target #interventions more effectively. By incorporating longitudinal data and focusing on regional disparities, YouthView provides a nuanced understanding of youth transitions, potentially revolutionizing approaches to #education, employment, and social support policies. By promoting evidence-based decision-making and highlighting the complex interactions among #socioeconomic factors, YouthView represents a significant advancement in data-driven policy development. This tool has the potential to reshape youth policy frameworks, leading to more responsive and fair outcomes for young individuals. By Ujjwal KC, Steeve Marchand & A. Abigail Payne (University of Melbourne) A Data for Policy Conference Proceedings Paper

October 29 is Digital Citizen Day! as part of Media Literacy Week (Oct 27-31), led by MediaSmarts | HabiloMédias. As Media Smarts says, "if you're online your a digital citizen". And we interact with digital media in many different ways in addition to tapping away at our smartphones. As a Media Smarts collaborator for the week of events and resources, I'm sharing out a practical and short online course I created earlier this year "Digital Media & Data Literacy for Adults". Why this course is needed: "Citizens of Canada need to be better equipped to think critically about the wide ranging experiences they have online. Digital media and data literate citizens are able to recognise and think critically about mis- and disinformation, have the skills to responsibly and creatively contribute to online spaces, and are enabled to collaborate with and support those in their communities." The course, key research and recommended resources are all here: https://blogs.ubc.ca/dmdl/ #DigitalCitizenDay #MediaLiteracyWeek

Are we measuring the right digital skills in low‑ and middle‑income countries? Many global surveys still focus on computer‑based skills, such as copy‑pasting files or writing code, even though in most LMICs, the mobile phone is the dominant (and often only) device. This approach risks producing data that is biased toward wealthier, urban, highly educated users. A new analysis of UNICEF’s MICS‑6 survey across 40 countries, which I co-authored with Johns Hopkins and the University of Cape Town, shows why we need a mobile‑first, context‑sensitive approach to measuring digital skills. Without this shift, we risk underestimating the skills people do have, and overlooking the barriers that still hold them back. Mayank Date Kerry Scott Anjora Sarangi Dr. Osama Ummer Arjun Khanna Tanya Sinha Diwakar Mohan Amnesty LeFevre 👉 Read the briefer here: https://lnkd.in/de8EPqGt #DigitalInclusion #DigitalSkills #EquityInTech

In today’s digital landscape monopolised by talk of bans rather than benefits, I’m happy to see that the Google’s Future Report (https://lnkd.in/gct6wpTW) conducted with 7070 teens brings us a more encouraging, forward-looking view of young people’s digital experiences and aspirations. The participating teens, from 5 different EU countries and broadly varying backgrounds, don’t just see the internet as a means of learning, connection and entertainment, but also as a way to explore other cultures and perspectives, and find different approaches to going about tasks. This openness, flexibility and thirst to explore cultural and other forms of diversity are important areas where digital citizens need to build their competence to tolerate the ever-increasing complexity of today’s society, and to be able to participate knowledgably and meaningfully is the broader world of today and tomorrow. Participating teens place focus on trustworthiness, and show an appreciative level of critical thinking in the range of strategies they deploy to check the credibility of information. They don’t seem to be particularly bothered by algorithms, seeing them rather as a means of opening to diversity through the new things they discover when content is proposed to them.  40% of participants say they use AI almost daily, mainly for problem solving and creative activities, are aware that AI can be misleading, and wish their teachers were better equipped in terms of knowledge and digital literacy skills to help them use it more effectively and creatively. The Report highlights the digital literacy gap that seemingly exists between different income groups, and this is an issue that needs to be addressed to ensure that all students have an equitable chance to benefit from the opportunities that society presents. The Future Report should prove useful for educators and families grappling with digital challenges. It provides an insightful snapshot of how young people are currently engaging with the online world, the support they feel they need at home and at school, and what they expect from tech companies and policy makers to explore the opportunities and exploit the benefits of digital technology.

UNICEF: #Data #Governance for #EdTech: Policy Recommendations Education technology (EdTech) offers powerful opportunities to improve learning outcomes, personalize instruction, and expand access to quality education, particularly in low-resource settings and for children with disabilities. At the same time, the collection and use of student data present significant risks, including privacy violations, biased profiling, and the commercial exploitation of children’s information. To help address these challenges, UNICEF partnered with UNESCO and the Global Privacy Assembly to produce a global landscape review on data governance in EdTech. The paper identifies the key stakeholders in EdTech data governance and the obstacles they face in protecting children’s rights. It also examines existing multi-stakeholder governance mechanisms across countries, highlighting the respective roles of governments, data protection authorities, and EdTech companies. The landscape review is accompanied by policy recommendations that demonstrate how sound data governance principles can be applied within the EdTech sector. Developed through a global consultation process with data protection authorities, civil society organizations, academics, and EdTech companies across five regions, the recommendations include strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks, embracing anticipatory governance, promoting rights-based business models, and fostering both multi-stakeholder and multilateral collaboration. By adopting these recommendations, stakeholders can help ensure that EdTech not only drives innovation in education but also safeguards the rights and well-being of every child.

What do 7,000 teens in Europe think about the future of technology ? As a parent of 2 teens, working in tech policy, I’m always interested in better understanding how new generations, especially Gen Z and Gen Alpha - are using technology in their daily life. With youth consultancy Livity, we surveyed 7,000 teens across Europe, and are sharing the complete findings today. I was particularly interested by the following:   1️⃣ Teens aren't simply using technology, but are actively shaping its evolution to better benefit their learning, creativity, and wellbeing. 2️⃣ 40% use AI daily, overwhelmingly to drive creativity (81%) and problem-solving, not just efficiency. This isn't passive consumption - it's active evolution.  3️⃣ The window for parental guidance on digital hygiene closes significantly by age 16 ! This underscores our collective responsibility to provide inclusion, guidance, and balance early. At Google, we are committed to building tools and technologies that support this proactive approach - like Family Link, YouTube Supervised Experience, Credential Manager... Read more about the study here 👇 https://lnkd.in/eQyUDJ8Z

The Council of Europe’s recent poster competition, part of the European Year of Digital Citizenship Education 2025, offered a striking insight: young people are already confronting the realities of disinformation, cyberbullying, privacy breaches, and online intolerance. Their creativity revealed both the urgency and the opportunity: a need for stronger digital literacy programmes, safe-use frameworks, and teacher-training support that go beyond technical skills to build empathy and critical thinking. For educators, policymakers, and EdTech innovators, this isn’t a short-term initiative; it’s the foundation for a more ethical, inclusive and responsible digital society. Collaboration will be key, between schools, technology partners, and communities, to turn awareness into action. Full article in comments. #DigitalCitizenship #EdTech #MediaLiteracy #EducationInEurope #DigitalSkills

𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗜 𝗱𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆—𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘂𝗽 A new Google survey of 7,000+ teens across Europe shows 96% of older teens used AI in the past year, with 40% using it daily. They're using it to boost creativity, solve problems, and learn difficult topics in new ways. The catch? 28% say their schools haven't approved ANY AI tools. One teen puts it bluntly: “I think school is lagging behind,” says Ali, 18, Sweden. "I think we should learn how to use AI in a better way than what we do now.” But these kids aren't naive. Most check sources and cross-reference information. They know AI shouldn't do the thinking for them. "𝘐𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘴, 𝘈𝘐 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘴. 𝘠𝘦𝘵, 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴." --𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘰, 16, 𝘐𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘺 The real kicker: Parents have a narrow window to shape digital habits. At 13-15, 54% of teens listen to parents about online behavior. By 16-18? That drops to 19%. The gap between what teens can do with technology and what institutions allow them to do keeps growing. Read Mindy Brooks' new report, with youth consultancy Livity: https://lnkd.in/gdyXtaA2 #edtech #kidtech #AI #wellbeingbydesign

📹 I asked a few brave teens to go on camera and talk about health data. Why? Because young people today are already navigating the digital systems that collect health information, often without even realizing it. From fitness apps to online forms, health data is everywhere. And in many families, teens are the ones building bridges between digital tools and their parents, grandparents, or younger siblings. 🧠 When I was younger, I often translated important documents from French to English for my family. Now, that role often includes decoding apps, platforms, and data permissions. The difference? Today’s systems are digital. The stakes are higher. And the language is even more confusing. So for Health Literacy Month, I asked a few young people in my family what they think about health data. And they answered honestly, insightfully, and with zero scripts. ✨ This is exactly why we need more tools like HDRN Canada’s Plain Language Glossary: A guide to help all of us—young people and adults alike, make sense of the terms behind the tech. 📘 Explore it here: https://lnkd.in/gRPREsbD Because health literacy now includes data literacy. #MyBodyMyData #HealthLiteracyMonth #YouthVoices #DataLiteracy #HDRNCanada #PlainLanguage #DigitalRights #HealthData

For Health Literacy Month, I asked a few thoughtful teens what they think about health data. Check it out! 🎥🎬🤩 And they answered honestly, insightfully, and with zero scripts. ✨ This is exactly why we need more tools like HDRN Canada’s Plain Language Glossary: A guide to help all of us—young people and adults alike, make sense of the terms behind the tech. 📘 Explore it here: https://lnkd.in/gRPREsbD Because health literacy includes data literacy. Health Data Research Network Canada #MyBodyMyData #HealthLiteracyMonth #YouthVoices #DataLiteracy #HDRNCanada #PlainLanguage #DigitalRights #HealthData