Action points for EU policy on children's digital skills
Is the current policy at the level of the European Union (EU) adequate to promote youth’s digital skills and well-being in the digital environment?
Which action does the evidence suggest is needed to improve the digital skills of European children?
The ySKILLS project created action points to reveal the areas where EU policy can work to improve children's digital skills.
These are integrated into four themes: Conceptualisation, Measurement and Research; Policies; Regulation; and Communication and Stakeholders.
Below, the action points are listed per theme.
CONCEPTUALISATION, MEASUREMENT AND RESEARCH
1. Invest in structural, longitudinal and cross-EU research which implements the yDSI (youth Digital Skills Index) to measure the different dimensions of children’s digital skills over an extended period and across various geographical locations.
2. Invest in the future development and fine-tuning of the yDSI, especially in light of new technological developments which may impact the dimensions of digital skills.
POLICIES
1. Appoint a yDSC: a youth Digital Skills Coordinator to oversee and coordinate initiatives regarding children’s digital skills across various policy areas, directorate-generals, and instruments.
2. Incorporate the granularity of the different dimensions of digital skills and vulnerabilities in EU policy on children’s digital skills.
3. Foster close cooperation with Member States to ensure the effective implementation of EU policies in the area of education and youth (supporting competences) at national level, for instance through the Structured Dialogue with Member States on digital education and skills.
4. Monitor the progress and implementation of commitments outlined in the Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles in the Digital Decade.
REGULATION
1. Prioritise enforcement of the legislative framework, as proficiency in digital skills is insufficient to address certain online risks for children. It is imperative that companies design their services in a way that effectively mitigates these risks.
2. Invest in the continuous monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of the current policy and legislative framework that might affect children’s digital skills (even indirectly).
3. Provide guidance on digital skills education that includes the necessary skills for effectively using legislative mechanisms such as privacy settings and reporting mechanisms, which are available to children to exercise their rights in the digital environment.
COMMUNICATION AND STAKEHOLDERS
1. Identify the relevant EU-level bodies that can actively participate in awareness-raising of policies on children’s digital skills, and their different dimensions.
2. Engage with industry stakeholders to promote and enhance the different dimensions of children’s digital skills. This could encompass instructing children on the use of privacy settings, reporting mechanisms, complaints or other remedies, or the identification of disinformation (for instance, in the context of the Age Appropriate Design Code).
3. Engage with children to (co-)create and communicate policies that affect the promotion and enhancement of their digital skills.
For more information
To know how the action points were identified, read the report Turning ySKILLS recommendations into action points for EU policy on children's digital skills.
More information is on the ySKILLS website. Other relevant reports are Evidence-based recommendations for policy and practice and Realising children's rights in the digital age: The role of digital skills.
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