Playing Digital Security: Youth Voices on their Digital Rights

The United Nations (UN) Convention (1989) on the Rights of the Child changed the way children are viewed and treated worldwide. The Convention has been affecting governments, civil society and the private sector. ICT driven companies on the internet should not be an exception. According to Livingstone, Carr and Byrne (2015), Internet governance bodies have given little consideration and reflection to children's rights. In this paper, it is proposed that in order for youth actively participate in an increasingly digital environment; they need to know better their rights to privacy and freedom of expression, among others. Although the understanding of the digital environments principles lies beyond the scope of average children's school curricula, they can however play and discover simple technological concepts in the classroom. Thus, by early developing their literacy on digital identity management, they will be able to navigate, communicate, play and learn online more safely, achieving a responsible connected presence. A qualitative study on a visually oriented encrypted learning activity (game) among a group of students aged 16-18 years old, of the third cycle of Basic Vocational Education has been conducted with the following aims: a) to understand how knowledge about security technological processes can improve youth's capability for managing their digital identities; b) to understand the value of pedagogies of play. Using participant observation, focus group and interviews, youth behaviours and attitudes towards this game based learning approach as well as their perceptions of their digital rights are presented.

Youth value learning in a gamified way and recognize the acquired knowledge as important for their online protection and their future as citizens. Youth perceptions of digital identity management rely on external attributions of responsibilities in the matter, being Google and Facebook the most appointed companies in charge of managing people personal data. Perceived online opportunities and risks are a clear point of contention among these young people with a minority of youth supporting a more reparative view, where risk and opportunities come together. Pedagogies of play seem very adequate to empower children to participate actively in protecting their data, as a matter of digital rights. Also, the promotion of critical thinking skills is important to promote their ability to engage and understand the importance of technological processes in the management of their online identities and freedom of expression. “It was also noted the concern of young people with the way they are providing data online. The acquisition of some technical expertise is understood as a way to objectify these feelings of concern, answering to this self-perceived need of protection. In addition, the gamification characteristics of the studied activity seem to appeal, not only the understanding of the inherent cryptography principles but also the perception of technical skills as a relevant part of digital security and privacy” (Costa, C.; Sousa, C.; Rogado, J.; Henriques, S.; 2017: 22). “Youth’s knowledge about children's rights is very superficial, which is often the cause of difficulties when they are confronted with objective situations. When talking about human/children rights on the Internet, Youth's belief that they have more rights than they really have raises the question of children liability” (Costa, C.; Sousa, C.; Rogado, J.; Henriques, S.; 2017: 22). As an exploratory study, it’s not possible to obtain generalizable conclusions about the effectiveness of gamified digital security learning programs, framing the ground for further research on the matter, both in formal and informal educational contexts. Media literacy or multiliteracies, as a set of competencies that include digital identities management, should be framed in children rights.