- There are massive differences in the international ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ of the internet world. Many workshops which focussed on improving the situations for the ‘haves’ very often migrated to the realisation that many countries and regions of the world do not even have access to the internet.
- Any internet developments should automatically consider young people and those who are impaired in some way in order that the internet grows to be automatically inclusive for all who wish to get the best from it.
- Young people should not be preached to but information should be delivered to them coming from the standpoint that the internet is a brilliant thing. (ie, don’t shock and scare young people about the dangers, talk about the positives with doses of safety information).
- And that it’s not just young people that need the ‘safety information’ and skills to know how to change their settings & know how to manage their online privacy etc – internet users of any age need this information.
- Having a choice is very important to individuals. Ie, allowing people of any age to decide for themselves what to look at, what settings to choose. The key is education and empowerment.
- Hearing the younger participants speak was fantastic. Their points were delivered with great skill, enthusiasm and were well informed.
- The internet is becoming a basic human right in the minds of many people. All those who have the power to push the boundaries & deliver a fantastic internet service (whether through enabling good internet access or content) has a responsibility to. And again it comes back to the point that developments should be inclusive for all.
(Posted by the UK IGF on behalf on Emma Lowther, IWF)