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Right to Education and Digital Literacy
Every child has a right to education, access to which has to be provided without discrimination and on the basis of equal opportunity. (UN-CRC Art. 28)
The educational system shall enable children to benefit from the opportunities and cope with the risks in the digital environment. Children should learn how to make competent use of content appropriate for their objectives and needs, and they should gain the skills to live safely and freely in the digital world. Here, parents and educators should provide competent, responsible and trustful support.
Focus
02.05.21More protection, provision, and participation for children on the Internet
Stiftung Digitale Chancen
The new Youth Protection Act came into effect in Germany on May 1, 2021.
30.04.21IGF 2021 Call for Session Proposals
Marlene Fasolt, Stiftung Digitale Chancen
The United Nations Multistakeholder Advisory Group calls for active participation in the programme development for the Internet Governance Forum 2021 (IGF). Stakeholders can submit a variety of types of sessions until 26 May at 23:59 UTC.
05.03.21New youth protection law: PARTICIPATION of children is a top priority
Jutta Croll, Stiftung Digitale Chancen
Today the German Bundestag passed a law to reform youth protection in the media. With the new regulations, the participation of children and adolescents and thus one of the basic principles of the UN Conventions on the Rights of the Child is anchored in the German text of law.
08.02.21Our Rights in a Digital World - Report on children’s perspective on their rights in the digital world
Marlene Fasolt, Stiftung Digitale Chancen
The 18. annual Safer Internet day takes place today, 9 February, 2021 under the motto "Together for a better Internet". In addition, many young people were asked about their opinions in the report "Our Rights in a Digital World."
04.02.21We celebrate: Children's rights take effect also in the digital world!
Children around the world have a reason to celebrate today, as the United Nations Children's Committee has adopted a General Comment on the rights of children in the digital environment. This means that all the rights granted to children by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child also apply in the digital space. Access to the internet, freedom of information and expression, but also children's privacy and the right to protection from violence and abuse must be more strongly respected on the internet in the future.
Scientific studies
August 2018Young Children (0-8) and Digital Technology
A qualitative study across Europe
Stephane Chaudron, Rosanna Di Gioia, Monica Gemo, EU Science Hub - The European Commission's science and knowledge service
The document reports on results of a cross-national analysis building on data coming from 234 family interviews with both children and parents, carried out from September 2014 until April 2017 in 21 countries.
Additional content for: Digital Parenting | Media Education | Digital Literacy | Media Usage | Privacy | Social Media
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FIM-Study 2016 - Family, Interaction, Media
Study on communication and media use in families
Sabine Feierabend (SWR Medienforschung), Theresa Plankenhorn (LFK), Thomas Rathgeb (LFK)
The FIM study provides insights into communication and media use in families in Germany. Contents and forms of intra-family communication, communicative patterns of behaviour within the family and media use in the family context are the main focus of this study. Five years after the first FIM study, the FIM study 2016 provides insights into the everyday media life of families with smartphones and mobile Internet. For the FIM Study 2016, all members of around 300 families with children between the age of 3 and 19 were interviewed personally.
Additional content for: Digital Games | Digital Literacy | Media Usage | Social Media
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JIM-Study 2017 - Youth, Information, (Multi-) Media
Baseline Study on media-behaviour of twelve to 19 year olds in Germany
Sabine Feierabend (SWR Medienforschung), Theresa Plankenhorn (LFK), Thomas Rathgeb (LFK), Medienpädagogischer Forschungsverbund Südwest (mpfs)
As part of the JIM study 2017, twelve to 19-year-olds in Germany were interviewed in addition to the general use of media and their media dealings with regard to homework, learning and school. Altogether, pupils between the ages of 12 and 19 years estimate that they spend an average of 97 minutes on a weekday with their homework (with and without computer / internet), while girls invest much more time with 115 minutes than boys (80 minutes). Almost half of their learning and homework time (45% and 44 minutes, respectively), the 12 to 19-year-old students work every day at home on the computer or on the internet for school. The digital homework time increases with the age of the young people from a good half hour for the twelve to 13-year-olds to a good hour for the full age students.
The Intelligent Risk Management Model
Centre for Child Protection on the Internet, I-KiZ - Zentrum für Kinderschutz im Internet
Based on the findings of the HBI, the I-KiZ works with an Intelligent Risk Management model for youth media protection. The model consists of an age-related concept designed both to avoid confronting children with harmful content and contacts, and to promote strategies to counter and deal with the same.
May 2017Children´s and young people´s rights in the digital age
a series of articles in the SAGE journal; Vol 19, Issue 5, 2017
SAGE Journal, SAGE Journal
In Vol 19, Issue 5, 2017 of the SAGE Journal in the New Media & Society category, there are a number of contributions to children's rights in the digital age.
Additional content for: Accessibility | Digital Parenting | Vulnerable Children | Internet Governance | Internet Policy | Youth Protection | Media Education | Media Usage | Privacy | Sexting | Social Media | UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
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February 2017KIM-Study 2016 - Childhood, Internet, Media
Baseline Study on the media usage of six to 13 year olds in Germany
Sabine Feierabend (SWR Medienforschung), Theresa Plankenhorn (LFK), Thomas Rathgeb (LFK), Medienpädagogischer Forschungsverbund Südwest (mpfs)
According to their own statements (assessments), 77 percent of all six to 13 year olds rarely use a desktop PC or laptop. The PC is used by all kids at home, and half sits in front of a PC when they are at a friend’s place. Yet, only two fifths use a PC in school. The probability of PC usage in school is significantly higher for older kids going to secondary school (Haupt-/Realschule: 53 %, Gymnasium: 56 %), than for kids going to primary school (27%).
Additional content for: Digital Games | Youth Protection | Digital Literacy | Media Usage | Social Media
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Global Kids Online
Researching on children's rights in the digital age
UNICEF Office of Research-Innocenti, London School of Economics and Political Science
Global Kids Online is an international research project that aims to generate and sustain a rigorous cross-national evidence base around children’s use of the internet by creating a global network of researchers and experts.
Official documents
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN-CRC) - full text
UN-Committee on the Rights of the Child, Vereinte Nationen
Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by General Assembly resolution 44/25 of 20 November 1989, entry into force 2 September 1990, in accordance with article 49
EU Strategy on the Right’s of the Child - Fact Sheet
The European Commission has developed a new strategy to protect children’s rights
EU Strategy on the Right’s of the Child
The European Commission has developed a new strategy to protect children’s rights.
March 2021General Comment No. 25 (2021) on Children’s Rights in Relation to the Digital Environment
The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has published a General Comment on children’s rights in relation to the digital environment.
Explanatory Notes on the General Comment No. 25 (2021) on Children’s Rights in Relation to the Digital Environment
Explanatory Notes on the General Comment No. 25 (2021) on Children’s Rights in Relation to the Digital Environment.
General comment draft on children’s rights in relation to the digital environment
by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
The Committee on the Rights of the Child is currently drafting a general comment on children’s rights in relation to the digital environment. The draft of the general comment can be found here.
White Paper on Online Harms
britische Regierung, Staatssekretär für Digital, Kultur, Medien und Sport
Guidelines to respect, protect and fulfil the rights of the child in the digital environment
Council of Europe, Europarat
The guidelines to respect, protect and fulfil the rights of the child in the digital environment were adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 4 July 2018. The purpose of the guidelines is to assist states and other relevant stakeholders in their efforts to adopt a comprehensive, strategic approach in building and containing the often complex world of the digital environment.
Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers on the rights of the child in the digital environment
Council of Europe, Europarat
How to better respect, protect and fulfil the rights of the child in the digital environment is at the core of the new Recommendation adopted today by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers. Building on international and European legal instruments, the text provides comprehensive guidelines for action by European governments. The digital environment shapes children’s lives in many ways, creating opportunities and risks to their well-being and enjoyment of human rights. Governments are recommended to review their legislation, policies and practices to ensure that these adequately address the full range of the rights of the child. States should also ensure that business enterprises and other key partners meet their human rights responsibilities and are held accountable in case of abuses.
Additional content for: Internet Governance | Internet Policy | UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
continue reading- May 1996
European Social Charter (revised)
Covention No. 163; Strasbourg
Council of Europe, Europarat
The European Social Charter (revised) of 1996 embodies in one instrument all rights guaranteed by the Charter of 1961, its additional Protocol of 1988 (ETS No. 128) and adds new rights and amendments adopted by the Parties. It is gradually replacing the initial 1961 treaty.
