Digital system initiative reduces cyber-risk exposure in 8-12-year olds by 15%: DQ Impact Report

The impact. A digital initiative focused on increasing the digital intelligence quotient (DQ) of children aged 8-12, #DQEveryChild, has increased digital citizenship in children worldwide by 10% on average, reducing cyber-risk exposure by 15%.

DQ is a comprehensive set of digital competencies required to thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution that was later identified as a global common framework for digital literacy, skills and readiness by the Coalition for Digital Intelligence, comprising the OECD, IEEE Standards Association and DQ Institute, in association with the World Economic Forum. The fundamental competency of DQ is digital citizenship that enable individuals to use technology safely, responsibly and in an ethical way.

Using the World Economic Forum platform to accelerate its work globally, the DQ Institute launched #DQEveryChild in March 2017. The initiative has reached more than 700,000 children in 107 countries and has been translated into 21 languages. A 100+ member coalition works to empower children with DQ to actively minimize cyber-risks, while preparing them for a future dominated by technology.

What’s the challenge? The 2018 Global DQ Impact Report studied over 38,000 children in 29 countries and found a serious cyber-risk pandemic among the world’s children. The report found that 56% of 8-12-year olds are exposed to at least one cyber-risk, such as cyberbullying, video-game addiction, offline meetings and online sexual behaviour risks.

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The average screen time for this age group globally sits at 32 hours per week – for entertainment use alone. Fifty per cent of 8-12-year olds access the internet through their own mobile phone, and 85% of them are actively using social media.

More than 725 million children in this age group will be online by 2020, and more than 90% of them will be from ICT-emerging countries, where children are exposed to 1.3 times the risk of those who live in ICT-advanced countries on average, in large part due to the fast adoption of mobile technology and digital platform use without adequate and appropriate preparation for children.

Our approach. In 2016, the Forum’s System Initiative on Shaping the Future of Media, Information and Entertainment brought together key stakeholders to ensure the improvement of digital intelligence (DQ) for children worldwide.

The DQ Institute is an international think-tank dedicated to setting and implementing global standards for digital intelligence education. Its flagship initiative, #DQEveryChild, reaches children globally through a research-based online platform, DQ World. The platform enables 8-12-year olds to learn comprehensive digital-citizenship skills and receive real-time feedback and assessment with minimal support needed from teachers and parents.

The DQ Impact Report found that children globally who completed DQ World saw a 10% increase in their digital intelligence score, which led to a 15% reduction in cyber-risks, on average. Moreover, the platform has had a significant and positive impact on children’s development across several important areas, including safe and responsible attitudes and behaviours online, balanced screen time and self-control, better understanding of online presence, privacy and data protection and increased social, emotional and physical well-being.

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How can you get involved? Businesses can partner directly with the World Economic Forum’s System Initiative on Shaping the Future of Media, Information and Entertainment to shape the Forum’s agenda on digital intelligence for societies globally. You can be part of and support the DQ Institute and initiatives like it, protecting our communities against cyber-risk pandemics and boosting digital comprehension.

Already a member or partner of the World Economic Forum? Find out more about this initiative on TopLink. Enquire to become a member or partner of the Forum.