#SocialMediaDay - Building digital futures with safety at the centre

What happens when adolescents come face-to-face with the online world and have no tools or skills to navigate it safely?

Online exploitation and abuse, cyberbullying, misinformation, privacy risks, gender-based online violence, addiction, mental health challenges, and exposure to predators become imminent risks impacting the daily lives of children and adolescents worldwide.

That is why countries across the globe are taking a stronger stance on digital safety. Australia implemented a ban on social media for children under 16 in 2025. Last week, the UK announced similar plans, while other countries continue to strengthen protections for young users, recognising significant risks that young people must be prepared to navigate.

But regulation alone cannot solve the challenge.

What young people need alongside protection is the knowledge, confidence, and critical thinking skills to engage safely and meaningfully online.

At Girl Rising, we believe digital literacy is not simply about learning how to use technology. It is about helping adolescents understand the opportunities and risks that come with living in an increasingly connected world.

Over the years, our programmes across countries have explored different pathways to building digital literacy, safety, and confidence among young people, educators, and communities.

Insert info on the digital literacy module in our main RISE curriculum

“Cybercrime was a new topic for me, and I am now more aware of how to protect my online accounts from cyber fraud and scams,” said a student from the RISE programme in India, preparing adolescents on digital literacy, amongst other key skills. A recent report from Chattisgarh, India, illustrated from baseline to endline, students’ confidence in using the internet for learning increased from 85% to 98%, and email communication skills improved from 56% to 72%. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, our WhatsApp and mobile-based learning project in India ensured that adolescents could continue accessing educational content despite school closures. By converting learning materials into mobile-friendly formats and facilitating engagement through digital platforms, the programme introduced thousands of young people to safe and purposeful digital learning while helping them build familiarity with online tools.

Recognising that adolescents need trusted adults to guide them through digital spaces, we partnered with 1 Million Teachers to develop an interactive e-learning course focused on gender equity, social-emotional learning, and inclusive teaching practices. By strengthening educators' understanding of these issues, we are helping create classrooms where young people can discuss online safety, digital citizenship, and responsible technology use with confidence.

In Kibera, Kenya, our partnership with Utiva introduced adolescent girls to digital skills, including user-interface design and coding. Beyond technical skills, the initiative helped girls see themselves as creators and innovators in the digital economy, expanding their understanding of the opportunities technology can offer.

Through our partnership with NABU, we have co-created digital storybooks that encourage young readers to challenge stereotypes, think critically, and imagine more equitable futures. These resources demonstrate how digital platforms can be leveraged to make learning accessible, engaging, and culturally relevant.

Our storytelling module, implemented across India and Kenya, has enabled adolescents to learn how to use digital tools to tell stories that matter to them. Through podcasts, videos, and digital storytelling projects, young people have developed communication skills, strengthened their voices, and learned how to use technology responsibly to advocate for issues affecting their communities.

These experiences have reinforced an important lesson: digital literacy must go far beyond teaching young people how to use devices. Adolescents need skills that help them think critically, protect themselves, evaluate information, identify risks, and make informed decisions online.

For girls in particular, digital skills can be transformative. Digital spaces come with risks but they also offer unprecedented opportunities for learning, leadership, advocacy, entrepreneurship, and economic participation. Digital literacy helps ensure that girls can access these opportunities while staying safe.

This Social Media Day, as conversations around online safety continue to shape policies and platforms worldwide, one thing remains clear: access alone is not enough. Young people need the skills to navigate digital spaces with confidence, responsibility, and resilience.

At Girl Rising, safety is not an afterthought. It is the foundation of our approach to digital literacy. Because before adolescents can learn, create, lead, and thrive online, they must first know how to protect themselves and each other. By placing safety at the heart of digital education, we are helping build a generation that is not only digitally connected but digitally empowered. This work has been made possible in large part through the support of the HP Foundation, whose longstanding partnership with Girl Rising reflects a shared commitment to digital equity and preparing young people for the future of work. Together, we are helping ensure that adolescents, especially girls, have not only access to technology, but the skills, confidence, and agency to use it safely and shape the opportunities of tomorrow.