Young people in Wales make recommendations for better protection online
A youth-led project set up to give young people a voice on keeping children safe online in Wales gave its recommendations to decision makers at an event at the Senedd on March 9th
The NSPCC funded mental health and social change charity Platfform to run the Amplifying Child Safety Online Project, which was led by an advisory group of young people aged 11-18 from across Wales working with community and school groups.
Over the past year Platfform worked with Digital Guardians, an advisory group of 19 young people, known as Digital Guardians, to deliver workshops with 14 schools and community groups across Wales.
The workshops explored what online safety currently looks like for children and young people. They discussed the effectiveness of controls and responses to harmful content, and covered concerns such as Artificial Intelligence, online advertising, privacy and education.
The project group hosted events, created artwork to express their views and developed resources for educating young people and adults about online safety.
The Digital Guardians also shared insights and ideas with the NSPCC’s Voice of Online Youth and groups of young people in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The project has produced four key recommendations for decision makers in Wales to consider when shaping policy and practice, so they accurately reflect the realities facing young people online.
- Better education for young people to stay safe online, which is developed and delivered by young people.
- More dialogue between adults and young people to support open, informed conversations about online life.
- Greater awareness of the widespread nature of misinformation and deception, including clearer labelling and education from tech companies and organisations.
- Increase awareness of the risks of AI, particularly on learning, trust, and perceptions of reality.
Children’s voices are still too often overlooked in discussions about online safety, yet their insights are essential. — Ruth Mullineux, Senior Policy and Public Affairs Officer at NSPCC Cymru
“Young people understand both the benefits and risks of being online, and their unique perspectives help reveal the real impact of online harm and the support needed to keep them safe.
“Decision makers in Wales should place children’s experiences at the heart of developing and delivering meaningful, effective solutions in the months ahead.”
I wanted to be a Digital Guardian because working in the digital field is something I want to do when I grow up. But I found the digital world scary, so I joined this group to make a difference, and I feel like I have. — Digital Guardian
Siobhan Parry, Deputy Director of Children and Young People’s Services, said: “Children and young people have the right to access the online world and the right to be safe within it.
“This project has provided an incredible opportunity to amplify youth voice across Wales and to ensure that young people feel seen and heard in efforts to keep them safe online.
Young people are incredibly brave. It is now time for organisations and decision-makers to follow their lead, listen carefully and act with the same courage. — Siobhan Parry, Deputy Director of Children and Young People's Services at Platfform
You read about the project and access the reports on Platfform for Young People website
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