Nordic Safe Digital Childhood Conference 2024
Save the Children, Sweden, Finland and Denmark would like to welcome you to the second annual Safe Digital Childhood Conference hosted by Save the Children Nordics!
This time, we welcome you to Malmö, Sweden, where civil society organizations, industry leaders from Nordic gaming and tech companies, academia, and decision makers and professionals working with children will join forces. The aims of the conference to learn, inspire each other, and discuss how we can promote children’s wellbeing and a positive digital childhood in a Nordic context.
Register for the conference
Date: November 13th 2024
Time: 09.00-16.30 (CET)
Place: Malmö, Sweden: Slagthuset, Jörgen Kocksgatan 7
The conference is now full. If you would like to be placed on the waiting list please contact the arrangers. Videos of the keynote speakers will be posted on this page after the conference.
We believe that a cross-sector approach is the best way to promote children’s rights and safety in the digital world and the aims of the conference are to tackle some of the biggest challenges children are facing in their digital lives today. Join us with your expertise and engage in industry-cutting dialogue with a wide range of actors sharing a common goal: to increase children’s wellbeing and promote children’s rights in the digital world.
The main themes for the conference include designing technologies for children’s rights, creating safe and nourishing gaming environments, and the potential risks and benefits for children with the advancements with AI. During the conference speakers from Oxford, Toca Boca, UNICEF, Google, Childhood foundation and more will share their expertise in issues related to AI and gaming that affect children's digital lives. All participants will participate in workshops in order to investigate how we can tackle these issues by collaborating across sectors.
The conference is organized as part of Digital Citizenship, a Google Foundation-funded pan-Nordic program that aims to provide every child with safe and non-discriminatory access to digital opportunities. It also seeks to explore opportunities for Nordic collaboration, engage ecosystem stakeholders for mutual learning, and establish new strategic partnerships to advance children’s rights in the digital world. The conference is organized in collaboration with Google.org and Google.
The conference will be moderated by Soledad Piñero Misa, Soledad is the CEO and Founder of Part of More, an award-winning social entrepreneur and skilled moderator with a passion for children's rights and inclusive progress. With extensive experience facilitating transformative dialogues among diverse stakeholders—including NGOs, tech companies, and the UN—she is dedicated to empowering intentional leadership and facilitating playful collaborations for positive change.
Practical details
The conference will be held at Slagthuset, a 5 minute walk from the central station in Malmö. Snacks and lunch will be served at the conference, please contact the arrangers if you have any allergies or food preferences. All the food served at the conference will be vegetarian.
Save the Children Sweden has a collaboration with Scandic Hotels and are able to provide a discount if you use the code D000042149 when booking. Scandic S:t Jörgen is located a 10-minute walk from the conference venue.
Malmö is located 20 minutes on the train from Copenhagen central station.
Save the Children Sweden follows GDPR and respects your privacy. Your information will only be used for administrative purposes and to communicate with you about the conference. You have rights, read more about how we handle your information in our Privacy Policy.
Please note that some parts of the conference will be live streamed and/or photographed to spread information about the event. If you do not wish to be photographed or filmed please contact the event organizer.
Agenda for the conference
09:00–09:30 Registration and coffee
09:30–09:40 Welcome to the conference
09:40–10:10 Thomas Hakman, Research Associate, Oxford:
As technologies emerge and evolve, so do the challenges they pose for young people’s digital lives and mental health. With the availability of an overwhelming amount of information on the harms and benefits of digital childhood, distinguishing between evidence-based knowledge and low-quality information or stigma can be difficult. What does the existing research tell us about the gaps in our current understanding? And how can we navigate the risks and benefits of technological advancements in video games and AI without falling into old traps?
10:10–10:15 Children’s voices on gaming
10:15–10:45 Chris Lindgren and Petter Karlsson, Toca Boca
Designing a playful and safe space for kids
The app Toca Boca World is played by millions of kids all over the world. The players are invited to a space where they can explore, create, self-express and play in whatever way they like. In this talk, the Play Designer Chris and Petter share examples of how the app is designed to meet the needs of kids and tweens today.
10:45–11:00 Coffee break
11:00–11:30 Lulu Li, UNICEF Sweden, Better games for the next generation: how gaming companies can support children's rights in the digital world.
Digital games can contribute to children's rights by allowing them to play, express creativity, and build connections. However, they also pose risks to their rights and well-being. The gaming industry plays a crucial role in shaping digital environments for children. Therefore, they have a responsibility—and a unique opportunity—to contribute to a safer, more inclusive and supportive digital world.
What children's rights are relevant in the gaming world, and why does it matter? How should companies consider these rights, even for games not specifically designed for children? Lulu Li from UNICEF Sweden will share insights about how game creators can listen to children's perspectives and make more intentional decisions that support their rights and well-being.
11.30–12.15 Gaming workshops
All conference participants will choose one of the following workshops to dive deep into an issue children are facing in their digital lives related to gaming:
- Beyond parental controls and age restrictions: how can parents take a more active role in their child’s digital lives?
- Radicalization, hate and mobbing in gaming, how can we make it safer for children and increase adult presence in gaming environments?
- How can we make the gaming world safer for girls and promote equality in the gaming industry?
12:15–13:15 Lunch
13:15–13:20 Beginning the afternoon session
13:20–13:30 Digital Safeguarders, Save the Children Sweden
An example of how we can increase adult presence online and enable them to act and support children and youth online
13:30–13:45 Sara Övreby, Google Sweden
Developing AI with a child’s perspective.
13:45–14:15 Susanne Drakborg, Childhood
Harnessing AI to keep children safe online
Stella Polaris is an initiative that brings together specialists in children’s rights with AI experts in order to develop AI-driven solutions for preventing child sexual abuse. In this talk, Childhood’s Senior Program Manager Susanne will share lessons ranging from everyday tools to innovative AI projects. Participants will gain insights into the potential of AI to keep children safe online, and inspiration on how to engage in cross-sectoral collaborations to further children’s digital wellbeing.
14:15–14:30 Natali Arent Eiriksson, Dataetisk Ungeråd (Data Ethic Youth Council)
The Data Ethic Youth Council is a group of engaged youth from a wide range of backgrounds aiming to ensure that youth perspectives are respected regarding digitalization, data protection and digital empowerment. In this talk, Natali Jørgensen will talk more about the work of the council, the misconception that younger generations are naturally capable of living up to society’s expectations regarding digital citizenship, and a few examples about some of the largest challenges youth are facing in their digital lives.
14:30–15:00 Coffee break
15:00–15:10 Presentation of Save the Children Denmark’s report Digital Harms
15.10–15.55 AI workshops:
All conference participants will choose one of the following workshops to dive deep into an issue children are facing in their digital lives related to AI:
- Would risks do we see for children with AI and what regulations or other measures could safeguard against these risks?
- What are the potential benefits of AI and how can we use the technology to promote children’s rights and wellbeing?
- How is AI being used for sextortion and how can the same technology be used to prevent it together and support victims?
15:55–16:15 Panel discussion and takeaways from the conference
16:15–16:30 Mingle and wrap up