This blog was written ahead of the FOSI 2024 European Forum, which takes place on June 5, 2024. Read on to get a better understanding of the online safety policy in the EU and the UK and how it affects parents and their families.
Whether you are a parent or caregiver in the United States or a parent in Europe, chances are you are involved in the complex landscape of digital parenting. As technology becomes increasingly integrated into children's lives, parents must balance online safety, quality screen content and time management, alongside digital literacy. And as parents and caregivers on both continents can tell you: raising a child or young person today can feel like a delicate highwire act of balancing safety concerns while fostering a healthy relationship with technology.
In the United States, parents and caregivers are faced with increasing legislation that may differ state to state, potential bans of social media platforms and smartphones, as well as misinformation, disinformation and viral trends. In Europe, parents and caregivers are faced with very similar issues as the European Commission created the Digital Services Act to ensure a safer and more accountable online environment.
Parents and caregivers on both continents can use this moment of rising legislation and awareness of key online issues as a reminder that digital parenting is of tantamount importance today and critical thinking and continued conversations with our digital charges is needed more than ever.
It goes without saying that parents need to guide their children in understanding the ethical and responsible uses of technology, which means that parents need to stay informed about the latest technological trends and issues.
Sharing best practices and engaging with a digital parenting community can also provide invaluable support and innovative strategies to deal with cyberbullying, inappropriate content, privacy issues and more.
Come join us at the FOSI 2024 European Forum on June 5th, as parenting experts address the challenges of raising tech-savvy children, and offer practical tips and tools for empowering parents in their approach to technology. By connecting with others facing similar challenges, parents can gain insights and strategies to navigate the digital world effectively.
Together, we can ensure our children thrive in the digital age.
Dr. Elizabeth Milovidov is the founder of Digital Parenting Coach.com, a resource for parents and caregivers.
As a lawyer, law professor and child online protection expert with more than 20 years experience, she has advised government and child protection agencies, non-profits and think tanks on public awareness campaigns, research initiatives and public policy strategies related to digital safety, parenting, and wellbeing.
She has also held several key consultancies in Europe for the Council of Europe (Children's Rights and Education divisions), Microsoft EMEA (Digital Safety), European Schoolnet (Online Safety), and e-Enfance/INSAFE (French Helpline).
She is an international speaker on digital parenting and her work has been featured in BBC, France 24, the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, and other media outlets focused on child online safety and digital parenting.
Currently, she is Senior Corporate Counsel at the LEGO GROUP, where she provides legal support on implementing and promoting digital child rights, safety, wellbeing and citizenship in parallel with responsible digital engagement with children.
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