The online world is changing, thanks to Gen Z

In the wake of the pandemic, many prevalent movements such as Black Lives Matter and Everyone’s Invited have gathered momentum on social media, made more palpable thanks to conversations led by Gen Z - on and offline. Young people have been using their voices online to fight against social injustice and shape our world in ways previous generations could have never imagined. And for that, we are grateful.

Next week (February 8th) marks Safer Internet Day and a chance to get everyone talking about how we can support young people to thrive online. This year’s theme is All fun and games? Exploring respect and relationships online, and as always, we are embracing the opportunity to share, celebrate and support young people.  

Working closely with partners such as the United Nations, Vodafone, Surrey University, and the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, we have gained insights that reveal how the online climate is both rewarding and challenging, with issues such as online sexual harassment, online abuse and hate speech escalating to worrying degrees. As the Online Safety Bill and Online Harms agenda gathers momentum amongst policy makers, now more than ever, it's crucial for us as educators to empower young people to make positive choices online.

Here is some guidance from us on how to steer online safety conversations with young people, and you can download our digital awareness posters here to share with your school communities: