IGF 2023 WS #300 Reshaping the Data Economy: the Power of Youth Voices

Organizer 1: Lorrayne Porciuncula, The Datasphere Initiative
Organizer 2: Veronica Piccolo, Internet Society Youth Standing Group
Organizer 3: Mariana Rozo-Paz, WEF Global Shapers Bogotá Hub
Organizer 4: Carolina Rossini, 🔒

Speaker 1: Mariana Rozo-Paz, Intergovernmental Organization, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 2: Veronica Piccolo, Technical Community, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 3: Franco Machado Luísa, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 4: Menelik Zewdie , Civil Society, African Group

Moderator

Lorrayne Porciuncula, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)

Online Moderator

Carolina Rossini, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)

Rapporteur

Sophie Tomlinson, Private Sector, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)

Format

Round Table - 90 Min

Policy Question(s)

A. What issues related to the data economy are youth across the globe most concerned about?
B. How are youth engaging through social media to effectively advocate for their perspectives on the data economy, and what examples of good practices to engage youth exist and could be implemented by different types of stakeholders?
C. What incentives are needed to raise awareness among the “adult community” (policymakers, governments, private companies, etc.) on the importance of youth’s voices and to enhance their participation in policies and the design of data-driven technologies?

What will participants gain from attending this session? The session will bring participants into a conversation on the importance of leveraging youth’s voices to reshape the data economy and the ways in which different stakeholders are working towards including youth in the data governance discussions. Participants will be invited to join the discussion and share their own best practices on how to design effective participatory approaches to data policies and technologies, and the valuable perspectives that youth can bring to the table for the future of the data economy. Learnings and good practices on how to effectively engage youth in policies and technologies around data will be shared across sectors and stakeholders, and so participants will be able to diversify their perspectives and potentially work towards a youth-inclusive data economy.

Description:

Youth are more connected than ever and are key in shaping the future of the data economy and thus its governance. In the US alone, 95% of teens have access to a smartphone and 45% say they are online “almost constantly” (Pew Research Center, 2019). They are also the most vulnerable, be it for known risks of social media use and internet dependency, as victims of online abuses, or as disenfranchised data subjects. Meanwhile, decisions that impact youth’s future remain monopolized by adults - either through corporations that develop technologies targeting them as users or through governments shaping the frameworks and rules that will dictate their relation with those technologies. However, youth are rarely represented in either of those spaces and the gap between decision makers and youth is particularly pronounced in the data realm.

Existing vocabulary around data governance is poorly explained and tools for consultation remain hermetic and not fit for reaching young people. Including youth’s voices in discussions and decision-making is crucial to ensuring that the data economy is truly equitable and that the value of data is unlocked for all. This panel will explore how youth voices can reshape and transform data policy and data-driven technological innovations to effectively unlock the value of data for all.

Expected Outcomes

- Expression of interest to participate in the Youth4OurDataFuture project from the Datasphere Initiative
- A community of partners and practitioners committed to leveraging the voices of youth in the data economy that stays connected through follow-up processes and future events
- Learnings will also serve as input to the Datasphere Initiative Dialogues and expand the Youth Dialogues to other regions

Hybrid Format: - Interaction between onsite and online speakers and attendees
The remote moderator will actively solicit comments and questions from online participants throughout the session. Organizers will also actively promote the session on social media.
The moderator of the workshop will give the floor to participants by the order they raise their hands, to avoid giving preference to those who are attending onsite. Onsite participants will be encouraged to interact in the chat in order to engage with the online audience.

- Session design
The session will be an interactive discussion, weaving contributions from online and the room. Online participants will be encouraged to turn-on their videos and introduce themselves so all attendees can see who has joined the session.

- Complementary online tools/platforms
The organizers will explore using Mentimeter, an online polling tool to encourage online and onsite participants to answer questions and spark discussion and reactions.