Beyond cybersafety - The need to develop social media literacies in pre-teens

Oct 15, 2026

Cybersafety has long anchored digital education, yet young learners now face everyday online challenges that exceed most cybersafety programs. Based on a comparative study of 276 pre-teens aged 7–12 in Australia and Uruguay, the article argues for shifting school practice from staying safe online to fostering critical social media literacies. It highlights the need to help students manage and protect personal data amid mass platforms and artificial intelligence, and ends by outlining the digital learning required in a datafied society.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

I. Introduction

Cybersafety as the dominant school-based approach

Limitations of cybersafety and the case for critical literacies

Study context: digital platforms and access constraints

Beyond cybersafety: The need to develop social media literacies in pre teens Beyond cybersafety: The need to develop social media literacies in pre-teens Luci Pangrazio [luci.pangrazio@deakin.edu.au](luci.pangrazio@deakin.edu.au) Deakin University, Australia Lourdes Cardozo Gaibisso [lourdes@uga.edu](lourdes@uga.edu) Universidad ORT, Uruguay Abstract Cybersafety has been a mainstay of digital education since computers arrived in classrooms in the mid 1990s . Whether schools encourage students to be “cybersmart” (Australia),“netsafe”(New Zealand) or to be aware of “cybersecurity strategies” (Mexico and Chile) most now devote a relatively large amount of time and money to teaching young people how to “stay safe” online . In this article, we argue that it is time for schools to move beyond the cybersafety discourse to encourage students to think more critically about the digital media they use . Reporting on the digital practices of 276 pre-teens aged 7-12 years in Australia and Uruguay, we contend that the everyday digital challenges young people face are now beyond the scope of most cybersafety programs . Our findings highlight that many of the issues preteens are negotiating call for more nuanced and sustained educational programs that support the development of critical social media literacies . In particular, with the proliferation of mass user platforms and artificial intelligence, there is a need for schools to educate students around managing and protecting their personal data . The article concludes with a discussion of the digital learning required for young people in an increasingly datafied society. Keywords Pre-teens; digital practices ; digital literacies; critical social media literacies, comparative research. L. Pangrazio & L Cardozo Gaibisso 49 Digital Education Review-Number 37, June 2020-[http://greav.ub.edu/der/](http://greav.ub.edu/der/) I. Introduction Children’s use of the internet has grown in the last decade . In many parts of the world, homes are filled with digital technologies with many children having their first digital experiences in the earliest years of life . Indeed, the rise of tablets and touchscreens mean a range of digital experiences have become accessible to young children . The pre-teens or tweens (ages 7-12 years) of contemporary times are what Leathers, Summer and Desollar (2013) call “digitods” – children born after the introduction of the iPhone in 2007 – starting their lives with ready access to the internet. While this might mean more children can access digital technologies at younger ages, it does not mean they will use them effectively. The assumption that children across the world are equally empowered by digital technologies is highly problematic . For some time now, it has been recognised that making the most of digital experiences requires both access to digital technologies and effective use (Selwyn, 2004) . Learning how to use digital media effectively should therefore be an important part of contemporary education . While there is evidence of innovative digital programs taking place in flagship schools and research projects, the dominant form of school based digital learning today is cybersafety. As the name suggests, cybersafety focuses on keeping young people “safe” online and promotes a cautious approach to using the internet based around mitigating risk. Minimising digital “footprints”, identifying risks and developing responses to socially challenging content and interactions are key to cybersafety (Roddel, 2006) . While it is true that digital media introduces new forms of risk (Livingstone, 2009), it also provides a range of new opportunities . In fact, online risk and opportunity are often intertwined. For example, signing up to a new platform requires one to provide personal information online . Risk and opportunity are often thought to be mutually exclusive, however, when it comes to the digital context there is, in fact, a positive

FAQs

Why does the article argue that schools should go beyond cybersafety?

It argues that everyday digital challenges faced by pre-teens are beyond the scope of most cybersafety programs, which focus mainly on mitigating online risk. Schools need to encourage more critical thinking about the digital media students use.

What does the study examine and how is it positioned?

The article presents a snapshot of social media practices of 276 pre-teens aged 7–12 in Australia and Uruguay. It is framed as comparative research on what children are actually doing online.

Which capabilities are identified as important for preparing young people in a digital world?

The article emphasizes developing skills to critically analyse risks and opportunities, and to navigate digital experiences with agency and autonomy. It also notes the need to address personal data management as platforms and AI proliferate.

Oct 15, 2026

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