Let's ask the digital natives!

The image attached is a representation of how well-informed children can be about what happens on social media and over the Internet, sometimes even better than the adults. The mother in this story asks for guidance from his young son about a possible scam that she is struggling with.  Children of the digital age usually assist their parents in technology-related challenges. This is while my study shows that the generation of digital natives mutually appreciate adults' guidance to be able to safely participate in the online community. Children's right to be protected from any forms of harm requires parents, guardians, teachers, and other duty bearers to catch up with the new media and raise their knowledge and capacity to support kids in navigating and overcoming the possible risks online. Meantime, we need to remember that provisions for safeguarding children must be designed and evaluated by seeking their participation and inputs to prevent from implementing adult-centered strategies that may hinder children's rights in the digital environment. To practice children's rights to be heard, my research project invited local kids aged 11 to 17 to inform the study by narrating their experiences in the digital environment.