Milan: presentation of new resources for educators and parents
"Notwithstanding the fact that the law requires social media users to be 13 or older, in reality there is a massive presence of pre-adolescents who access social media by lying about their age or using and adult’s profile, often a parent who is not very aware of what is happening. In Italy, 40.7% of 11-13-year-olds use social media, with a prevalence of young women (47-1%) over males (34.5%) [ISTAT Analysis for Save the children]. Minors use new technology – especially messaging apps and social networks – at an increasingly early age and more frequently and intensely."
“Adults, especially parents and teachers, do not seem to be fully aware of the Internet and its services and therefore cannot provide an adequate reference point to these young users. And those who are more enthusiastic about these tools prefer services that are not used by the new generation, thereby accumulating an even greater intergenerational divide and critical issues [Postal Police Report].
And it’s not just about cyberbullying and sexual encounters. The report that was recently published by the Postal and Telecommunications Police for the Safer Internet Day has extended the map of on-line risks for minors, pointing to new phenomena such as social challenges and insidious AI applications. Another flag is the increasingly young age of victims. It is increasingly important for parents, educators, and teachers to participate in lifelong learning activities to learn how to read alarm signals and avoid adopting risky behaviour with superficiality, such as using smart speakers to read their children goodnight stories. The report should be read in full as the final part addresses another worrying phenomenon, that of minors who commit on-line crimes and how it is “increasingly significant that even very young users, download and circulate pedo-pornographic images.”
The Postal Police continues to raise the awareness of users and Fully Enjoy the Internet is one of the projects that address a safer web. The next opportunity to participate in a session held by experts will be in Milan, on April 30, at the Istituto Leone XIII with Emiliano Fedele from the Postal Police Department of Milan.
The event will also feature the presentation of a new resource for teachers and educators – the “Fully Enjoy the Internet” Podcast – developed with the European University of Rome: five episodes that address a conscientious use of the web and technology to provide parents with a tool for understanding the issues involved. Each podcast episode will highlight the risks and opportunities provided by the web and provide useful advice for a positive attitude, both on- and off-line.
