Appendix 1: Digital Citizenship Stakeholder Meeting: Findings from the Digital Citizenship and Participation Mapping Exercise (Brussels, February 2023)

In addition to the previously discussed aspects of digital citizenship, there are several additional considerations that contribute to advancing participation and defending digital rights.

The evolving digital landscape presents opportunities for the development and upgrading of tools that facilitate new and innovative ways of participation. One such example is the emergence of the metaverse, which offers immersive digital environments where individuals can engage, collaborate, and participate in various activities. The metaverse has the potential to redefine participation by providing interactive and dynamic spaces for people to connect, share ideas, and contribute to collective decision-making processes.

Ensuring the protection of digital rights is crucial to fostering a healthy digital citizenship ecosystem. It is important to establish easy and simple channels for individuals to defend their digital rights, report violations, and seek redress when their rights are infringed upon. Providing accessible platforms and resources that empower internet users to protect their privacy, security, and freedom of expression is an essential component of digital citizenship education and advocacy.