Digital Strategy and Analytics: Internet's Influence on Youth

This report, focusing on digital strategy and analytics, explores the multifaceted influence of the internet and social media, particularly on youth. It delves into the critical issues of online security, privacy breaches, cyberbullying, and the creation of digital footprints. The report examines how social media platforms, with features like 'like' and 'share,' can impact young users' behavior and self-perception, while also highlighting the risks of harassment and data exposure. Furthermore, it discusses the role of behavioral advertising in influencing consumer behavior and the responsibilities of parents, teachers, and governments in ensuring children's safety online. The report emphasizes the need for communication, education, and research to help children and teenagers navigate the digital world safely, understanding the importance of privacy and the distinction between sharing information and oversharing. It concludes by underscoring the significance of being aware of the child's digital presence.

Running head: DIGITAL STRATEGY AND ANALYTICS
DIGITAL STRATEGY AND ANALYTICS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1DIGITAL STRATEGY AND ANALYTICS
Internet- Fad or Fail
The body of processes, practices and technologies constructed for protecting programs,
devices, data and network from damage and unauthorized access. Another term for cyber
security is information technology security. In the 21st century, features of internet in
computers and smartphones enables the capability of bridging the gap between the ‘physical’
and ‘rhetorical’ distance among individuals of all ages. The gap is restored by various
approaches or applications of social networking sites (Miller et al., 2016). Users of social
media employ the application of social media for sharing images, thoughts and activities.
These social media networks are known for posing threat to the personal security and
computer privacy (dailytimes.com.pk, 2019). The features like ‘like’ and ‘share’ are acting as
influencers for increasing the desirability of the young users. For children and youngsters, the
factor of social acceptability is very crucial, social acceptability can drive their confidence
and behavioural approach of the individuals according to the drastically changing social
norms of the world (Uhls, Ellison & Subrahmanyam, 2017).
The increasing popularity of social media incorporates the same level of threats as the
presence of benefits, the risks includes harassment, stalking and cyberbullying, which marks
the breach of privacy for the children and teens (Hamm et al., 2015). Along with the breach
of privacy, availability of data in the internet from the period of birth, also known as the
digital footprint. From playing with toys after birth to the freedom of sharing pictures and
thoughts in the internet, social media can act as an obstacle for preventing the exposure of
personal data. The impacts social insecurity from the unacceptance in social media or the
harsh influence from the application of games can be the sign of behavioural trauma,
depression or even leads to death (Hoge, Bickham & Cantor, 2017). Internet has become a
source for creating a virtual image or impose a desirable presentation of oneself in
accordance with the ‘social acceptability standard’ of 21st century. Along with the beneficial

2DIGITAL STRATEGY AND ANALYTICS
features of social media, it has added to the availability of ‘filters’ for presenting oneself as
per the societal norms.
The concept of behavioural advertising is used as a significant tool for influencing the
product usage behaviour. The technique used by the online advertisers for presenting a target
specified advertisements by tracking the browsing behaviour of users through the data
existent in the web is known as behavioural advertising. Along with the impact on children,
youngsters becomes the prey under the application of social media. The responsibility and
accountability for ensuring the security of the children and youngsters should be handled by
the efforts of parents, teachers and government operating in a specific country. The kids may
seem connected to the world full of information but it is the responsibility of the parents to be
aware of the digital footprint (bbc.com, 2019). The convenience resulting from the
technology can be mistaken with a safe provision, which leads to a productive outcome but
parents should be involved if not interfere, for understanding the learnings deduced from their
connection with social media. The main focus and guidance of the parents should be
concentrated on the kind of data which is to be shared in the internet.
The tech and social media enterprises are using nudge marketing for influencing the
consumer usage behaviour. Parents and teachers can be considered as the biggest influencer
and guide when it comes to the security concerns of children and teen. Communication can
be considered as the most effective tool for resolving any concerning situations.
Communicating the features and limitation for the usage of internet sources can be used as a
form to protect the exposure to the negative side of the internet. The guidance can be formed
on the basis of developing knowledge about the internet linked sources, like kids toys,
learning apps and networking sites. The parents and teachers should undergo a
comprehensive research before exposing children and teenagers to the world of internet.
Research process may include the process of understanding the kind of internet space one’s

3DIGITAL STRATEGY AND ANALYTICS
child wants to be exposed of and the involvement with their usage behaviour must be
executed as a way of healthy day to day practice of learning something together.
The guidance should revolve around the factors of teaching the importance of privacy with
the knowledge of understanding the difference between ‘sharing information’ and sharing too
much information’. Understanding the important aspects of the life of children and teenagers
is as important as knowing their presence in the digital world.

4DIGITAL STRATEGY AND ANALYTICS
References:
bbc.com (2019). Children are being 'datafied from birth'. [Online] Retrieved from
https://www.bbc.com/news/education-46112665
dailytimes.com.pk (2019). Britain's child privacy push targets social media - Daily Times.
[Online] Retrieved from https://dailytimes.com.pk/377476/britains-child-privacy-push-
targets-social-media/
Hamm, M. P., Newton, A. S., Chisholm, A., Shulhan, J., Milne, A., Sundar, P., & Hartling,
L. (2015). Prevalence and effect of cyberbullying on children and young people: A scoping
review of social media studies. JAMA pediatrics, 169(8), 770-777.
Hoge, E., Bickham, D., & Cantor, J. (2017). Digital media, anxiety, and depression in
children. Pediatrics, 140(Supplement 2), S76-S80.
Miller, D., Costa, E., Haynes, N., McDonald, T., Nicolescu, R., Sinanan, J., & Wang, X.
(2016). How the world changed social media (Vol. 1). UCL press.
Uhls, Y. T., Ellison, N. B., & Subrahmanyam, K. (2017). Benefits and costs of social media
in adolescence. Pediatrics, 140(Suppl 2), S67-S70.