Should democracies embrace or fear social media and new online platforms? That's the question the Select Committee on Democracy and Digital Technologies has been considering. Led by Lord Puttnam it called for evidence on the impact on political campaigning, the electoral process, our understanding of the truth and public's wider engagement with politics and political [...]
In the lead up to an election political misinformation and disinformation are widespread online. What advice can we give young people - soon to be voters - about accessing reliable information? These tips will help equip them - and all of us - to make informed decisions. Find the source Don’t trust something just because [...]
With a snap election looking highly probable and the volume of online misinformation seen during the 2017 General Election set to continue, how can we ensure the electorate is making well-informed voting decisions? Our co-founder, Shelley Metcalfe spoke recently at TEDx Macclesfield about the cost of careless clicks, how we are all part of the problem [...]
As governments seek to tackle misinformation and other problems posed by the digital age, digital (or media) literacy is often cited as a significant part of any solution. The recent 2019 report by the DCMS Select Committee called for digital literacy to be the “fourth pillar of education alongside reading, writing and maths.” However the Government [...]
In the summer term The Digital Life Skills Company ran 10 'Digital Thinking Skills' workshops in primary and secondary schools across the region, supported by an RSA Catalyst grant. Feedback from schools in Manchester, Stockport, Macclesfield and Stoke-on-Trent showed online skills had improved after just one session. There was a high level of appreciation and [...]
Childhood has become increasingly commercialised as young people spend more time online, inside and outside school. The average person is estimated to see a whopping 5,000 adverts every day. These activities will help your students develop a healthy scepticism towards the marketing content that permeates their online world. Invite your class to share examples of [...]
Games, videos, news stories, social media posts and memes. Online advertisers often disguise their marketing messages as entertainment or information. You may know the difference, but do children? Online advertisers are using increasingly sophisticated marketing techniques, making it harder for young people to recognise when they are being sold to. The Advertising Standards Authority currently [...]
Advertising online is often disguised, making it tricky for young people to recognise when they are being sold to. Promotions often appear in the form of a game, quiz, competition, video, social media post or news story. Here are the tell-tale signs to help you and your kids detect adverts online. 1. Ad labels which [...]
Our children are “the most marketed to generation in history”, but they can develop a critical eye for commercial content. Here's how: Talk about the adverts they have spotted online. Find out which adverts your child has seen online. Which do they like? Which don’t they like, and why? Point out the various places that [...]
Democracy won’t save itself. A combination of drastic action from citizens, bold ideas and radical reform is necessary to reinvest democracy with moral authority and strength to survive digital age. Here are eleven ideas which can save it. Own your opinion While time and attention poverty in our ever-accelerating culture means we are always looking [...]