The everyday lives of children and young people, including their interaction with peers, are increasingly embedded in interaction with digital technologies and platforms.

Research shows that children and young people's digital lives are diverse and involve many roles and identities. Digital life can strengthen mental and social well-being, but can also reinforce vulnerabilities in terms of a lack of physical activity, as well as psychologically (mentally and emotionally) and socially when it comes to the types of communities that they can engage in.

It is important that children and young people have the skills and support to be able to participate in digital life in a way that supports well-being.

First, it requires that we have knowledge about how physical, mental and social well-being interacts with digital development and the digital lives of children and young people. It also requires that adults, professionals and decision-makers have the right conditions, framework, knowledge and skills to guide children and young people.

Children and young people need to be supported in critically reflecting on and developing their roles, identities and capacities to use digital platforms and technologies, so that they are not just 'consumers', but can actively use and create digital and technological opportunities that support and protect their physical, mental and social well-being.

This could involve, for example, increasing awareness of rights and/or being able to influence digital communities and developments. We also a need to know more about and develop technologies, such as Virtual Reality / Extended Reality, that can support the well-being of children and young people with special physical, mental and social needs through training and treatment.

SUB-GOALS

• That children and young people's digital lives support physical, mental and social well-being
• Strengthened digital and algorithmic literacy and empowerment in a broad sense: technical, legal, social, emotional, etc.  
• Development of technologies that can strengthen the well-being of children and young people with physical and mental disabilities