Children's Digital Literacy

Children’s digital literacy is the ability to use digital technologies confidently, critically and responsibly for learning, communication and creation. In online spaces, it combines technical skills with safety, judgement and agency, enabling children to recognise risks, protect themselves, respect others and seek help. It is therefore broader than merely operating a device or application.

Core capabilities

Digital literacy develops practical skills suited to a child’s age, maturity and evolving independence.

• Children should be able to find information and assess its credibility, purpose and possible bias before accepting or sharing it.
• They should understand privacy and protect personal information, passwords, images, location and account settings.
• They should recognise unsafe links, impersonation, fraud and suspicious requests as common cybersecurity risks.
• They should understand that online actions create a digital footprint that may persist or spread beyond the intended audience.
• They should create and share content ethically by respecting consent, attribution and other people’s dignity.

Safe and responsible participation

Safe participation means enabling beneficial online engagement while building the capacity to respond to harm. It does not mean excluding children from digital spaces or relying only on restrictions.

• Children should recognise cyberbullying, grooming and sexual exploitation, avoid harmful engagement and preserve relevant evidence when appropriate.
• They should know how to block, mute and report harmful accounts or content and approach a trusted adult without fear of blame.
• They should practise respectful communication and avoid forwarding humiliating, intimate, hateful or unverified material.
• They should balance screen use with sleep, physical activity, study and offline relationships to support digital well-being.

Supportive environment

Children cannot bear sole responsibility for online safety. Parents, schools, platforms and the State must provide age-appropriate guidance, accessible reporting systems, privacy safeguards and timely support. Open communication and guided participation are generally more educational than surveillance or fear-based prohibition alone.