IGF 2023 Launch / Award Event #39 Launches of the report of Children's Cybersecurity Needs

In this section, the organizer plans to release an academic research report titled "Children's Cybersecurity Needs" jointly written by the UNICEF and Beijing Union University. The purpose of this release and award is to engage in in-depth communication and discussion with global participants on the current status, existing problems, and educational needs of children's cybersecurity education. It also aims to share educational experiences and methods with social organizations and groups dedicated to protecting children's cybersecurity around the world, and to concentrate global wisdom, experience, and strength to help protect children's cybersecurity and enhance cybersecurity awareness. At the same time, it provides useful reference for relevant policy-making at home and abroad, promoting the healthy growth of children worldwide. The research selected pilot schools from the "Protecting Children's Growth" project jointly implemented by the UNICEF and the Ministry of Civil Affairs of China. These schools are located in 12 districts and counties in four provinces of China, including Jiangxi, Shandong, Guangxi, and Ningxia, covering the eastern, central, and western parts of China，this is representative to some extent. At the same time, it demonstrates differences in children's media exposure and usage in regions with varying levels of economic development in urban and rural areas. Based on this, the research will take these four regions as typical cases to investigate and analyze the level of children's cybersecurity awareness, the mastery of cybersecurity knowledge, and the problems in cybersecurity education in China, and summarizing the needs of children for cybersecurity education through concrete case. In addition, this will help group members improve their level of cybersecurity awareness and ability through methods of group work and research interviews. The research report includes three main parts: 1.The investigation of the current status of children's cybersecurity education will be carried out in the four regions mentioned above. Based on reading relevant literature and understanding the local situation, a questionnaire and measurement scale will be designed. Conduct detailed investigation and research on children, caregivers, teachers, local government officials, community workers, etc., by using questionnaire survey and semi-structured interview methods, and summarize the problems and needs of children's cybersecurity education. 2.Conduct individual interviews under the guidance of professionals. The main contents include: Theme 1: OPPORTUNITIES • Core theme:Ask for details about the online activities, probe around different activities and seek further details. You might want to focus in particular on different types of learning, socialising and communication, sharing with others, community and civic participation, creativity, entertainment, information-seeking. Pay attention to diversity and inequalities in children’s lives – opportunities will vary. Theme 2: ACCESS • Core theme:Discuss access to the internet (devices, comparison with peers, sharing with others), difficulties getting online, time spent online. Pay attention to diversity and inequalities in children’s lives – what is available to children will be different. Theme 3: SKILLS AND PRACTICES • Core theme:Ask about what the child feels competent doing and also what he or she finds difficult. Distinguish between different types of digital skills (operational, information, social, creative, mobile). Probe further about skills to stay safe online.Aim for a balanced discussion of skills related to online opportunities and those related to preventing risks. Pay attention to diversity and inequalities in children’s lives – children will have different abilities and interests. Theme 4: RISKS • Core theme: Ask about the risks issues associated with children's use of the Internet. These issues may be unpleasant, such as online violence, pornography, addiction, and sexual abuse. Probe for further details on particular risks that are of interest. Note key incidents of risk exposure to ask later about harm. Pay attention to diversity and inequalities in children’s lives – both risks and harm will vary. Theme 5: COPING and HELP-SEEKING • Core theme: Key issues to address in this theme are – coping with and response to risk exposure, seeking help and helping others, vulnerability and harm, health consequences, feelings when online/not online, consequences from excessive use. For each key incident of risk exposure mentioned earlier, probe for a response – coping, harm, help-seeking. Theme 6: PROTECTION(family, educators, peers, community) • Core theme: Ask about the extent to which others (family, educators, peers or community) are involved in the child’s online activities, e.g., by being there, discussing, providing advice or support, setting limitations. Theme 7: PROTECTION (nation and society) • Core theme: Understand the protection of children's Internet use from the national government level, including legal provisions, regulations, administrative rules and regulations. 3.Summary and reflection. Conduct a post-test evaluation of the group work, summarize the results and shortcomings of this social work intervention, and analyze and explain the advantages of using group work in children's cybersecurity education. This activity will show participants the research results obtained by the organizer in the research practice of children's cybersecurity needs. The research results can not only provide support for the policies in the field of children's cybersecurity at home and abroad, but also provide specific implementation plans for relevant enterprises and social organizations. And it can provide useful inspiration for the design and development of online courses for children's cybersecurity education, which can be used to prevent and cope with the Internet safety risks and challenges that children may encounter in the process of Internet, integrating global resources and forces to help children’s cybersecurity, and create a safe, healthy and harmonious "digital childhood" for children all over the world. The conference will focus on the main area proposed by IGF2023 – cybersecurity, and intends to discuss the following policy issues from the perspective of children's cybersecurity education: 1.Using digital technology for cybersecurity education: How can we effectively use various forms of digital technology to popularize cybersecurity knowledge, safeguard children's legitimate rights and interests on the Internet? How can we ensure the correct orientation of digital technology in children's cybersecurity education? What kind of technical standards and values can guarantee and achieve this? 2. Rational Use of Digital Technology for Safe Internet Access for Children: How can we guide children to rational use of digital technology for safe Internet access? How can the relevant developers and operators of digital technology further optimize and improve the Internet environment for children and what kind of network control measures should be introduced? How can children themselves achieve safe Internet access? The conference schedule (45 minutes) is as follows: 1.Introduction and speech (10 minutes): The conference is jointly hosted by UNICEF and Beijing Union University, and Mr. Zhao Hui, Secretary General of China Internet Association, is invited to deliver a speech and report on project achievements. 2.Speech (10 minutes): The person in charge of the research report will give a speech on the main content of the report. 3.Expert (10 minutes): Invite an expert to share future development opinions and suggestions in the field and discuss relevant technological and policy issues in cybersecurity education. 4.Q&A session (10 minutes): Invite the audience to ask questions about the relevant content. 5.Summary (5 minutes): The host will summarize the conference.

(1)According to the actual situation, the organizer will invite guests to attend the offline meeting in Japan for on-site speech and interaction. At the same time, we will use zoom to connect and interact with the online guests through the online host, so that each guest can participate in the online activities, ensuring the participation and interaction. (2)The organizers will design and produce videos, posters, and other multimedia materials around the theme of the event to promote participation and create a positive atmosphere of collaboration among the guests.