14. 11. 2024
Young people are growing up surrounded by digital technologies that enrich our lives and connect us, but this also introduces various pitfalls to which children and adolescents are particularly susceptible. This is why it is important to enjoy modern technologies and the digital world safely, and to use devices in moderation and intelligently.
Young people learned more about these issues, and also about phishing and smishing, safe online friendships, online grooming of children, fake news and online shops, artificial intelligence, and deepfake technologies that enable the creation of false content and identities online, at interactive workshops organised by Telekom Slovenije. These were held at the end of October and beginning of November at a primary school in Postojna, a branch school in Hruševje, and a primary school in Vrhnika. Around 350 4th and 5th grade students attended the workshops.
Telekom Slovenije has prepared interactive workshops for primary school children under the slogan Don’t Take the Bait. The aim of the workshops is to promote digital literacy among young people, so that they can experience the best that the digital world has to offer while being aware of the potential pitfalls. This makes it possible for them to grow up to be independent and critical users of digital technologies, and to know where to turn for advice and help if they need it. The workshops were held at the Miroslav Vilhar Primary School in Postojna, the Hruševje branch school, and the Ivan Cankar Primary School in Vrhnika. They were aimed at students in 4th and 5th grade, as some of them already have smartphones. Some are just entering the digital world at this age, while others have been in it for some time and are already quite adept at navigating it.
“With these workshops that teach how to enjoy using digital technologies intelligently, we want to raise awareness among young people about the potential risks in the digital world. These are just a click away, even when children and adolescents are at home, at school or in another safe environment. That’s why it’s important to talk openly about this before any unpleasant experiences occur. By strengthening children’s digital skills, they become more independent and better prepared for life, as knowledge of the digital world, which is part of our everyday lives, is crucial to being able to use it intelligently,” said Katja Šajnovič, Director of Business Development at Telekom Slovenije.
“Through these free workshops we want to enable young people to explore the digital world safely and confidently, and to teach them how to recognise and respond to potential risks. There is a great demand for this type of content from Slovenian primary schools, so we are always happy to respond to invitations. We believe that together we are building the foundations for a safer and more sustainable digital community,” said Nevenka Žiberna Remic from Business Development at Telekom Slovenije, who is the co-creator and coordinator of the workshops.
The young people impressed the mentors with their sincerity and desire to talk. “They showed us that they miss talking to adults about digital technologies. We mainly talked about fake news and fake online shops, as they had some experience with this from their home. We also took a closer look at examples of deepfake technology and grooming, so that they can more easily recognise it in the future. We found that the internet and technology, when used intelligently, connect us more and more, but it is important that we use them intelligently,” says Anja Kostevc, MSc, from Telekom Slovenije, co-creator of the workshops and lecturer.
Nika Pukart Jeličič, another a co-creator of the workshops and lecturer, pointed out: “I was surprised by how much fourth and fifth graders already know and what they experience online at such a young age. They were already familiar with many of the topics we raised in our discussions from personal experience. I was also surprised by how many of them already have constant access to the internet on their mobile phones; this is precisely why such conversations are even more important. I am very glad that we were able to impart important knowledge to them for even greater safety when browsing the internet, and the children embraced it with open arms through their own interaction and positive cooperation. I think this is the most we can give them for a safe digital present and future.”
Telekom Slovenia aims to visit as many schools and young people across Slovenia with these interactive workshops, helping to expand their knowledge and awareness of the importance of safe use of digital technologies.