What age should we give our child a mobile phone? How do we help teenagers protect themselves from cyberbullying? Should we limit young people’s social media use? We have so many questions about the digital world. Where do we even begin to answer them? The Premier Digital conference is a good start…
A few weeks ago I had just boarded a train when the unthinkable happened. My phone battery died. Nightmare. I felt utterly bereft.
How was I meant to predict my schedule without an electronic reminder popping up at precisely the right time? Who could I call without my prolific contact book producing the correct number at the click of a button (not the best time to realise the only digits I remember are my home phone circa 1990)? What would get me through my commute in the absence of a mindless Facebook newsfeed scroll?
Turns out, even though I grew up without a computer, mobile phone or social media profile, my life is now somewhat dominated by the powerful little device in my hand.
So, what hope is there for our children and young people; the ‘digital natives’ who have grown up immersed in YouTube, Instagram and Pokémon Go? Thankfully, help is on hand in the shape of the Premier Digital Conference.
This Saturday (4th November), youth and children’s experts from around the country will gather to walk us through some of the potential pitfalls of modern technology, while highlighting its many positives. Tom Clark (Holy Trinity Brompton’s head of youth), Dr Bex Lewis (author of Raising Children in a Digital Age), Lahna Pottle (16-19s specialist at Youthscape) and Beth Stout (chief executive of Golddigger Trust) will challenge us to help our children navigate their way around the digital world.