By Laure Delmoly, International Project Manager at CLEMI
We are the first generation of parents to raise children whose lives are unfolding partly online. Screens, social media, video platforms and, now, generative AI are part of their daily lives.
In this constantly evolving environment, the goal is neither to prohibit everything nor to allow everything, but to help children become independent, responsible and informed users of technology. This approach rests on three pillars: building a foundation of trust, developing informed media habits and maintaining open communication.
Screens now occupy an important place in family life. They are one activity among many and should not replace activities and needs that are essential to a child’s development: sleep, physical activity, social interaction, play, reading or creative activities.
Rather than counting every minute your child spends on screens, it is preferable to establish clear guidelines for use that are shared by the whole family. These can include an age-appropriate amount of screen time, as well as daily screen-free routines, for example, in the morning before school, during meals or before bedtime. These guidelines are not meant to be rigid: they will evolve with the child’s age, needs and interests.
For younger children, watching a program with an adult provides an opportunity to talk about what they are seeing, answer their questions and gradually develop their understanding of visual media. When co-viewing is not possible, asking children to tell you what they watched or draw a character is a way of extending the experience and keeping the conversation going.
With teenagers, the focus changes. Taking an interest in the content creators they follow, asking what interests them about the influencers they follow and the media sources they use online, occasionally watching a few videos with them or discussing their habits can help you better understand their digital world without making them feel that they are being monitored.
Children observe adults’ behaviour. Talking about your own digital habits, explaining why you check information, why you limit certain notifications or why you choose not to use your phone during a meal or while engaged in a conversation helps establish consistent family habits and reduce technoference. Digital parenting is first and foremost about leading by example. This also means being mindful of your child’s privacy and their right to control how their image is shared and of the long-term dangers that sharenting can pose to your child’s online reputation.
Technoference is the interference of technology in our relationships.
Sharenting is the parental practice of sharing photos of one’s children online.
Children are growing up in a space where information, opinions, advertising, algorithmic recommendations and content generated by generative AI are constantly circulating. Guiding them in their media and information habits means giving them the tools they need to develop critical-thinking skills.
Knowing how to distinguish fact from opinion, identify the author of content, verify a source or understand that an image can be taken out of context are essential skills today. Developing these habits helps children better navigate a rich and sometimes misleading information environment more effectively.
Recommendations on social media and video platforms are driven by algorithms designed to keep users engaged. Understanding these mechanisms helps young people take a step back from what they are being shown, move away from infinite scrolling and filter bubbles, and diversify their information sources.
Algorithm: A set of rules used by a platform to select and rank the content it shows you based on your browsing habits.
Infinite scrolling: A feature that automatically loads new content as you scroll, with no natural stopping point. It encourages you to keep looking without always realizing it.
Filter bubbles: A phenomenon in which platforms mainly show us content similar to what we have already viewed or liked. Over time, this can limit our exposure to different ideas, opinions or information.
Generative AI opens up new possibilities for learning, creating and finding information. However, children need guidance in using it. Parents can encourage their children to think of these tools as assistants rather than substitutes for thinking for themselves, to avoid cognitive offloading.
It is useful to discuss several points with them:
The goal is not to prohibit these tools, but to learn to use them thoughtfully and judiciously and in ways appropriate to the child’s age.
Technological discernment: An approach that promotes the judicious use of innovation. It involves assessing the relevance of a technology and using it only when it is essential or provides an undeniable benefit, while taking its environmental and social costs into account.
Most problems or challenges children encounter online can be better managed when they know they can talk to a trusted adult about them.
Parents do not need to be digital experts to guide their children. They can adopt a few simple habits: listen without judging, ask questions, look for answers together and seek help from support organizations when dealing with cyberbullying or problematic technology use so they do not have to face a troubling situation alone.
Dialogue is particularly important when situations such as the following arise:
Regularly talking about experiences online, just as you would talk about school life or leisure activities, helps build lasting trust within the family. Growing up in a connected world is not something children simply learn on their own. Digital parenting is not just about setting rules: it is based on guidance, dialogue and leading by example.
Children do not always follow our recommendations; above all, they observe our behaviour. By developing informed digital practices and maintaining open communication, families give young people the guidance they need to become informed, independent and responsible citizens in a constantly evolving digital environment.
For more information:
Consult the international guide “Growing Up in a Connected World: A Family Guide for the Digital Age,” edited by Virginie Sassoon (CLEMI) and Adeline Hulin (UNESCO).
By Stéphanie Dionne, Professional coach specializing in digital-age issues, MANA Clinic
The best discussions do not begin with an explanation, but with a question. Before sharing your point of view, take the time to find out what your child knows, understands or believes about the topic. The following questions will help you open a constructive dialogue. The short explanations can then help you build on, correct or confirm their answers, while gradually strengthening their critical-thinking skills and helping them become more independent in their use of technology.
How can you tell the difference between a fact and an opinion?
A fact is something that can be verified using evidence or several reliable sources. An opinion expresses what someone thinks, believes or feels. Opinions can be valuable, but they are not evidence that a claim is true.
Do other sources say the same thing?
When something is important, it is best to check several reliable sources rather than relying on a single post.
Who is behind this post or video?
Knowing the author helps you better assess the credibility of the information. Information from a recognized expert or a trusted organization should not be given the same weight as information from an influencer or an unknown person on social media.
Why is this person posting this content?
Content can serve different purposes: to inform, entertain, sell a product, persuade or provoke a reaction. Understanding the purpose helps you interpret the message.
Does this image or video show the whole story?
An image can be authentic while still being misleading if it is taken out of context, cropped or used to illustrate a different event.
Before sharing it, what would you want to check?
Taking a few seconds to verify information can help prevent the spread of errors, rumours or manipulated content.
In short, here is what we can tell our children:
Resource: MediaSmarts — Break the Fake
Why do you think this video or post was recommended to you?
Platforms analyze what you watch, what you like, what you comment on and how much time you spend on certain content so they can recommend posts that are likely to capture even more of your attention.
Do you think everyone sees the same content you do?
No. Each person receives a personalized feed based on their habits. Two friends can search for the same topic and receive very different recommendations.
How could you discover other points of view?
You can follow creators with a variety of opinions, consult different media outlets or search for information yourself rather than relying solely on the platform’s recommendations.
In short, here is what we can tell our children:
AI can be an excellent assistant for explaining a concept, generating ideas, summarizing a text or improving a piece of writing. What matters is that it helps you learn rather than doing the learning for you.
AI can make mistakes or invent information. For schoolwork or an important topic, it is preferable to check reliable sources.
You learn by working things out, thinking things through and making mistakes. AI can then help you take your learning further, but it does not replace that effort.
Avoid entering your name, address or school, sharing photos, or providing any personal information to an AI. Once you share it, that information may be stored or used to improve the tools.
AI can answer questions, but it cannot replace a parent, teacher or friend when you need support, advice or human connection.
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