New Report from UNICEF: A Global Research Agenda for Children’s Rights in the Digital Age The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other children’s charities need to rethink how digital technology and communications are affecting the rights of children around the world, according to a new report from LSE. The report, A Global Agenda for Children’s Rights in the Digital Age: Recommendations for Developing UNICEF’s Research Strategy<http://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/702> by Professor Sonia Livingstone and Dr Monica Bulger of LSE argues that the UN children’s charity should adopt new research methods in order to get robust evidence on how children are using information and communication technology (ICT), and how this may affect their rights and wellbeing. Even though children’s digital activities are growing quickly, many of the creative and interactive features of the internet remain substantially underused, especially in lower-income countries and among marginalised children. The growth in ICT around the world is also increasing ‘offline risks’ such as bullying, exposure to pornography and unwanted sexual solicitation. The number of households with internet access in developing countries has nearly doubled in the past five years, and looks set for significant further growth. Having conducted interviews with internet and child welfare experts around the world, the report authors conclude that there is a pressing need for research insights generated in the wealthier global North to be extended or complemented by research in the global South. With better evidence about children’s internet use, UNICEF and other children’s charities would be able to campaign for more effective policies. This would give more children, from all over the world, greater opportunities to benefit from the internet while being protected from the associated dangers. Commenting on the report, Professor Livingstone said, “Drawing the line between offline and online is becoming increasingly impossible. We should anticipate that almost any experience will now have an online dimension. Treating the internet as marginal to children’s rights is becoming ever more short-sighted or even misguided as a strategy.” “Although many valuable initiatives to promote children’s rights to online protection and participation are underway worldwide, the lack of a sound evidence base makes it hard to set policy priorities, monitor progress, and design effective interventions.” The full report is available to download here: A Global Agenda for Children’s Rights in the Digital Age: Recommendations for Developing UNICEF’s Research Strategy<http://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/702> Sonia Livingstone be launching this report at a forum organised by the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University on Monday 7th October 6pm ET. http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/events/2013/10/global_research_agenda Please access the attached hyperlink for an important electronic communications disclaimer: http://lse.ac.uk/emailDisclaimer