These are the key stages of the digital journey for a young person.
These stages reflect experiences that we introduced and were discussed at Design Jams, one of which directly involved young people. We are illustrating these experiences in this guide with the prototypes co-created at Design Jams.
The focus is on real-world mobile experiences and not on other devices like gaming systems. These experiences are by no means the only interactions that a young person might have with a digital product. Neither are the stages necessarily linear. As this work evolves we expect more stages and touchpoints to be added.
Pre-Sign up
As a young person I consume content and lead a rich digital life before I can officially sign up for things. This can be independent from, with or through others.
Sign up
As a young person I am likely to provide my personal details to sign up to a digital product and not give much thought to the privacy and security implications of sharing personal data. I might sign up for things recommended by friends...if my friends are using it, then it might be good for me!
As product makers or policymakers, there is a responsibility to create and support digital products that only ask for data relating to young people that is needed to deliver services, and makes young people aware of why they are being asked for that data and what it is used for.
Consume content
As a young person I enjoy consuming content online including video, images and articles across a variety of digital products.
As product makers or policymakers, there is a need to ensure that young people are only exposed to content that is appropriate to their age, also guiding them to consume responsibly online.
Create and share content
As a young person, I am creating and sharing a range of content from my own life. This content, and who I wish to share it with, changes as I mature.
As product makers or policymakers, there is a responsibility to guide young people towards privacy and safety-conscious online behavior by helping them to consider what they are sharing, with whom, and the consequences.
Interact with others
As a young person a lot of my social life is online.
As product makers or policymakers, there is a responsibility to make sure these interactions are safe and private by default. There is also a need to know whether the services used by young people have policies and tools to moderate their experiences, like reporting and blocking inappropriate interactions.
Remove or edit content online
As a young person my identity is likely to change and grow. It is important to me that I have control of my identity and preferences online.
As product makers or policymakers, we have a responsibility to allow people to have control of the data that is stored and makes up their online identity.
Our explorations on this topic are just a beginning. These challenges require more work, and more insight from the wider community. Let's improve privacy and safety for young people.
