This reality is also shaping public debate worldwide. In several countries, calls to restrict or ban social media use for younger users have gained momentum, as concerns grow about safety, well-being, and exposure to harmful content. While such measures aim to protect children, they also highlight a broader challenge: ensuring that young people are not only shielded from risk, but also empowered to navigate digital spaces safely, critically, and confidently.
Against this backdrop, around 700 participants gathered online and at UNESCO Headquarters for the launch of a new global resource: Growing Up in a Connected World: A Family Guide for the Digital Age, available in English, French and Spanish.
Developed by UNESCO in partnership with the French Media and Information Literacy Centre (CLEMI / Réseau Canopé), the guide is a flagship initiative designed to support parents, families, and caregivers worldwide, by equipping them with the Media and Information Literacy (MIL) skills needed to guide children’s digital engagement.
While the digital world offers immense opportunities, greater access to knowledge, openness, and connection, it also presents real risks, including cyberbullying, harmful content, misinformation, and hate speech.
UNESCO promotes robust, evidence-based Media and Information Literacy policies. There is progress: UNESCO’s 2025 global survey shows that 171 countries now have a MIL policy framework. But implementation remains uneven: fewer than half have integrated it into school curricula. As a result, too many children still receive no structured support at all. And when schools cannot fill this gap, the responsibility falls on families.
Khaled El-EnanyDirector-General of UNESCO
It is often through dialogue with parents that children learn to question information, compare different perspectives, and develop their critical thinking skills. This is why parents need support, just as we already provide it to teachers and to all education stakeholders.
Samuel VitelDirector General of Réseau Canopé
Digital and political transformations are reshaping every layer of society, placing families at the forefront of today’s information ecosystems. While regulatory approaches, particularly safety by design, are a critical part of the response, they will not be sufficient on their own. Sustainable impact also depends on equipping parents and caregivers with the knowledge and confidence to guide digital practices within their homes.
Supporting families is one of the most immediate and scalable ways to make a difference. Through this guide, UNESCO and CLEMI place practical tools directly in the hands of parents, supporting informed decision-making and strengthening autonomy within family life.
This new Guide serves as a common foundation of knowledge that every parent should be able to access. Its publication today is, therefore, not the end of our work, but the beginning.
Mariya GabrielAssistant Director-General for Communication and Information at UNESCO
The urgency for action continues to grow. As Artificial Intelligence becomes a more prominent source of information and communication, families face new and complex challenges. Research from the Reuters Institute shows that 15% of young adults (18–24) use AI weekly to access news, compared to just 3% of older users.
UNESCO is calling on all stakeholders, including regulators, media organizations, and experts to join forces in empowering parents, children, and youth to navigate today’s information ecosystems critically and confidently.
Media and Information Literacy (MIL) is a core global programme of UNESCO. Through MIL initiatives, UNESCO and its partners aim to equip individuals with the critical thinking skills and digital competencies needed to thrive in an era of rapid technological transformation.
More information: https://www.unesco.org/en/media-information-literacy
READ MORE: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-launches-new-family-guide-digital-age?hub=701
