That ability to assess what they encounter online is something young people need to develop alongside stronger safeguards, experts said.
Assoc Prof Williams from NTU said that preparing young people for the online world requires more than teaching them how to use digital tools safely and competently.
In Singapore, he noted that digital literacy efforts have tended to emphasise practical skills and online safety, such as using apps, avoiding scams and protecting personal information.
What young people also need, he said, is an understanding of the systems behind what appears on their screens, including how companies profit from their online behaviour, what they give up in privacy and how digital technologies can influence their habits, beliefs and relationships.
He said such issues could ideally be taught in schools, but that doing so would require educators to acknowledge that some mainstream economic practices and systems do not always serve individuals’ best interests.
Experts also stressed the importance of youths’ offline lives as a counterweight to whatever they may encounter online.
SHINE Children and Youth Services, a social work organisation, said trusted adults and offline communities can provide young people with stable relationships where they can question ideas and make mistakes without losing their sense of belonging. Sports, interest groups and volunteering can also give them sources of purpose and connection outside the screen.
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