Children in a Digital World - UNICEF Report 2017

Children in a Digital World – UNICEF Report 2017

December 10, 2017

As a Social Media Specialist, I’m very aware of the ever-changing and incredible potential of social media and digital connectivity. While I find social media full of exciting opportunities, as a father, I have to be wary. I am always careful about the types of photos I post online, whether they’re public-facing or meant to be for just for family, and I only ever geo-tag the city, never the address.

My daughter is growing up fast and I know that by the time she’s in school, coding, virtual reality and crypto-currencies may be part of the curriculum (or at least should be). Social media lets us stay connected to events happening before the TV networks filter it down. We have access to unlimited educational resources and can connect to friends across the globe or see long-distance family every Sunday on Skype.

“Connectivity can be a game changer for some of the world’s most marginalized children, helping them fulfill their potential and break inter-generational cycles of poverty.” – Children in a Digital World UNICEF report.

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However, on the flip-side, there are very real dangers when it comes to being connected. Part of their education needs to be understanding how much or how little we should share online.

From UNICEF’s 2017 report, released on December 10th:

If leveraged in the right way and universally accessible, digital technology can be a game changer for children being left behind – whether because of poverty, race, ethnicity, gender, disability, displacement or geographic isolation – connecting them to a world of opportunity and providing them with the skills they need to succeed in a digital world.

But unless we expand access, digital technology may create new divides that prevent children from fulfilling their potential. And if we don’t act now to keep pace with rapid change, online risks may make vulnerable children more susceptible to exploitation, abuse and even trafficking – as well as more subtle threats to their well-being.

This report argues for faster action, focused investment and greater cooperation to protect children from the harms of a more connected world – while harnessing the opportunities of the digital age to benefit every child.

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Did you know?

Digital technology has already changed the world – and as more and more children go online around the world, it is increasingly changing childhood.

Youth (ages 15–24) are the most connected age group. Worldwide, 71 per cent are online compared with 48 per cent of the total population.

Children and adolescents under 18 account for an estimated one in three internet users around the world.

Smartphones are fuelling a ‘bedroom culture’, with online access for many children becoming more personal, more private and less supervised.

Canadian kids aren’t exempt from the risks. For instance, the report uncovers that 92% of all child sexual abuse URLs are hosted in just five countries, one of them being Canada. And 81% of children under age two, in 10 high-income countries including Canada, have a digital footprint – meaning in some manner was mentioned or pictured online, and potentially exposed to mass audiences.

Once education has been established on the proper uses for social media and technology for users of all age, there is a responsibility to ensure it’s accessible to all who need it.

The State of the World’s Children 2017: Children in a digital world presents UNICEF’s first comprehensive look at the different ways digital technology is affecting children’s lives and life chances, identifying dangers as well as opportunities. It argues that governments and the private sector have not kept up with the pace of change, exposing children to new risks and harms and leaving millions of the most disadvantaged children behind.

“We have to face the future – and the future is online. But we have to face it armed with knowledge of the risks the digital world poses to children,” said David Morley, UNICEF Canada President and CEO. “Once we understand those risks, we can not only protect our kids, but empower them to seize the incredible opportunities that world also brings.”

To download the full report, please visit www.unicef.org/SOWC2017