Youth voices on EdTech data governance: A global consultation

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

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

We kicked off the first session in our Digital Youth Work training series today with Filtering the Fake: Intergrating Digital Literacy into Youth Work. The session highlighted the need to talk- and the safe space in the session allowed participants to reflect on the challenges they are experiencing in their work alongside personal reflection on experiences of technology. It re-centred us and gave us space to consider how to develop meaningful opportunities to connect with young people and understand the complex digital landscape they and we are navigating. A huge thanks to Jess McBeath our fantastic trainer and the support of our partners SWGfL. Our next session will be on the topic of AI on 30th October. To sign up and explore future sessions head to: https://lnkd.in/ePMiHTvQ National Youth Agency Jay Jones

What does it really mean to be vulnerable online? Do we risk oversimplifying when we treat “vulnerable groups” as if they were all the same? And could it be that, alongside risks, some groups also have the most to gain from digital platforms? These were some of the questions I reflected on during a panel at the International Conference for an Inclusive Digital Society (IDS 2025) in Leuven on 16 September, where we presented two of our new open-access books on media literacy and AI. In my work, I emphasized that vulnerable groups are not a homogenous category. Unaccompanied minors, refugee youth, socio-economically disadvantaged communities, older adults, people with disabilities, and others each face very different realities and information environments. Unaccompanied minors (my main research focus) may be more exposed to risks, but my research also shows they can be motivated, innovative, and critical users of digital platforms. For instance, some developed their own peer strategies to fact-check and support each other online (see my recent paper here: https://lnkd.in/dyBzZ7zv). This shows that vulnerability is not a fixed characteristic, it must also be understood through the creative ways people cope with the adversities of digital life. 📚 Books presented at the panel: • Empowering the Digital Citizen → https://lnkd.in/dc6sgR_w • AI: Rethink, Regulate, Reimagine → https://lnkd.in/dWQn3uK5 I’m grateful to have shared this space with inspiring colleagues, including Leen d'Haenens, Bieke Zaman, Lara Schreurs, and Ans De Nolf (KU Leuven); Aida Ponce Del Castillo (ETUI); Leo Van Audenhove (Vrije Universiteit Brussel); Joris Van Ouytsel (Arizona State University); and Andy Demeulenaere (Mediawijs).

We often talk about the future of technology, but who is truly shaping it? Too often, teen voices—the very generation whose future we're debating—are absent from the policy table.So it was a pleasure  to work with the amazing team at Livity to launch new research - The Future Report, which aims to address this gap by speaking to 7,000 European teens about their evolving relationship with technology.The findings confirm that this generation isn't passively consuming tech; they are actively defining its role for their  wellbeing and learning, often creating their own personalized learning digital ecosystems. The data is compelling: 40% use AI daily, and overwhelmingly, they leverage it to drive creativity (81%) and problem-solving, not just efficiency. This isn't passive consumption; it's active evolution.Crucially, and something that resonates with me as a parent of young teens, the report highlights that the window for us to offer the strongest guidance starts to drop significantly by age 16. This reminds me of a collective responsibility to provide inclusion, guidance, and balance early.I'm so proud to work with teams committed to building tools that support this proactive approach. By giving teens a platform to be heard, we can ensure the future of technology is shaped with them, not for them#TechTrends #FutureofWork #DigitalCitizenship #Googler https://lnkd.in/eJyUa8Q5

The #RISENetwork is pleased to announce a new partnership with New London Public Schools, where New London High School has adopted the RISE Data Hub. Our flagship data tool was built by educators, for educators to promote on-track achievement and postsecondary success for all students. Learn more about the Data Hub and how you can partner with RISE: https://lnkd.in/egC-MPeY

👩💻 Young people are not just digital users, they are co-creators of the online world - How can the EU and LAC move from protecting youth to empowering them in digital governance? In the first year of the HEMISPHERES Consortium, the Youth & Media Working Group has elaborated its first Exploratory Policy Paper (Link: https://lnkd.in/d4Zs8t_p) within the inaugural Policy Debate Agenda. Building on a series of dialogues and collaborations, the paper emphasizes that youth must be recognized as active shapers of digital governance - not only as groups to be restricted. Framed by HEMISPHERES’ thematic areas - Artificial Intelligence, Emerging Technologies, Internet, Privacy & Security, and Platforms, Equity & Safety - it highlights opportunities for cross-regional learning and innovative governance approaches. Key contributions into the Interim include: 1️⃣ Age as a proxy for risk Current regulation often uses age thresholds as shortcuts for protection, but this can exclude or oversimplify real youth experiences in digital spaces. 2️⃣ Different regional approaches EU regulation tends toward strict age-based restrictions, while LAC highlights participatory, civil rights–based models that see young people as digital citizens with agency. 3️⃣ The role of civil society and education Educators, parent groups, and grassroots organizations increasingly shape how digital policies for youth are designed and implemented across both regions. 4️⃣ The way forward: empowerment, not only protection The Interim calls for youth observatories, co-design initiatives, and cross-regional networks that enable young people to become co-creators of digital futures. 🌍 Protection remains essential - but empowerment is transformative. 🔗 Read the full Youth & Media Working Group Policy Paper here: https://lnkd.in/d4Zs8t_p Read Other Exploratory Policy Papers here: https://lnkd.in/enud5Wz6 This work was developed by members of the HEMISPHERES network, in collaboration with the TUM Think Tank and the Global Network of Centers. BI Norwegian Business School Global Network of Centers, Instituto de Tecnologia e Sociedade (ITS Rio), TUM Think Tank, Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, Universidad Católica del Uruguay, Universidad de Chile, Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano, Universidad de San Andrés Universidad del Norte, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Universiteit Utrecht UTEC - Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología #Youth #DigitalCitizenship #Inclusion #HEMISPHERES #EULAC