Menu icon
Close icon

COFACE Families Europe

Last updated: 2022-02-04

About our SID activities

COFACE is a partner in the DigiGen project. This European research project is developing significant knowledge about how children and young people use and are affected by the technological transformations in their everyday lives. The research includes a focus on ICT use in the family, educational institutions, leisure time and civic participation. DigiGen will develop effective social, educational, health and online safety policies and practices in collaboration with national and international stakeholders.
 
COFACE leads the work package that focuses on the societal impact and scientific and public engagement of the project. Working closely with the consortium and various stakeholders, COFACE’s role is to ensure the visibility and expected impact of the project by coordinating the dissemination activities and implementing an effective impact strategy.
 
Previously, COFACE has participated in a number of European Projects such as ENABLE, SIP-BENCH, and Digital Citizenship, and has coordinated the #DeleteCyberbullying project through which a number of practical tools were developed to help prevent cyberbullying. We have created a short educational video "Cyberbullying: there is a way out!" available in 11 languages.

Children online: Safe and supported digital citizens
On this Safer Internet Day, COFACE Families Europe calls on all relevant stakeholders to ensure that children are supported in their development as digital citizens. This does not mean limiting children’s use of the internet, but ensuring that the online world is regulated by policy makers and designed by technology companies to uphold children’s rights. As a key part of children’s ecosystem, families must receive strong guidance and support in navigating the risks and opportunities of the digital era. 
 

What we are doing to support the SID 2022 slogan of "Together for a better internet"…

 

As ever-younger children start using connected devices, there is a growing need to ensure that they enjoy a positive online experience and develop the necessary skills and resilience to cope with the content or contacts they may come across online. Far from stopping at safety concerns, COFACE Families Europe advocates for further consideration of key challenges such as privacy and exploitation of user data, online advertising, online business models, cybersecurity and the new issues raised by developments in Big Data, algorithms and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Moreover, COFACE Families Europe also informs, raises awareness and campaigns on the social impact of digitalisation to reflect the rapid digital changes impacting families. Experiences of ICT use differ widely across Europe as well as between children with different backgrounds. COFACE considers how children and young people’s background characteristics influence their online experiences, skills, and practices to avoid widening the digital divide and recognises that it is increasingly difficult to treat the digital environment as a separate reality.

About us

COFACE Families Europe is network of civil society associations representing the interests of all families. COFACE Families Europe's areas of work include social/family policy, education, disability, gender equality, migration, consumer issues, and also protection of children online, privacy, data protection and reflections on technological developments and how they may impact families. Find out more at www.coface-eu.org.

Additional links/resources

Website
http://www.coface-eu.org

Email address
secretariat@coface-eu.org

Social media