New campaign encourages healthier digital habits for youth

Vodafone Foundation is this week launching a new pan-European digital skills initiative called #Unplugged. A social media campaign designed to foster healthier digital balance and wellbeing for young people across Europe.

#Unplugged will connect with teenagers by using engaging educational content on their preferred online and social platforms and will run for eight weeks on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram in Albania, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, and Spain.

Consisting of short videos, memes, background info, and tips, #Unplugged won’t be encouraging digital abstinence, but will instead will help young people better manage their screen time by promoting balanced, mindful device use and encouraging meaningful offline engagement.

Part of the Skills Upload Junior programme, and Vodafone Foundation’s strategic focus on driving inclusion through digital learning, #Unplugged builds on the success of last year’s Me Myself and AI campaign which reached over 13 million young people.

To ensure authenticity, the new campaign features local content creators who speak directly to young people in their own language. These creators, with diverse backgrounds, styles and interests, will fill the Kliick social media feeds with challenges, self-deprecating humor, and real-life moments of ‘digital detox’. All designed to inspire young people by illustrating that small steps can lead to big, positive, changes.

As concerns grow around excessive screen time and the impact of digital media on mental health, especially for the young, the topic of digital wellbeing has become more urgent than ever. A recent study by Vodafone Foundation in Germany highlighted that 69 percent of young people spend over two hours on social media every day with 29% feeling stressed about their social media usage and 26% feeling guilty.

Further to this, a policy paper published by Vodafone Foundation and Save the Children in September also highlighted significant gaps in the guidance, skills and safeguards needed to help children navigate the online world safely. The report citing many children lacking an understanding of how their data is used, and teachers reporting insufficient training to address digital risks.

Speaking about the new campaign, Lisa Felton Managing Director of Vodafone Foundation, said: ‘Digital technologies have become an essential part of young people’s lives – but with constant connectivity also comes pressure. With #Unplugged, we want to empower young people in Europe to reflect on their digital habits, find balance, and take care of their wellbeing. Only when we use technology consciously can it truly serve our growth and potential.’

#Unplugged is part of the Kliick initiative, a pan-European Vodafone Foundation initiative to tackle issues affecting young people navigating the digital world each year. It supportsVodafone Foundation’s wider programmes to provide digital skills for life, including Skills Upload Jr, the Pan-European initiative to empower educators and students in the self-confident, creative and critical use of digital technologies.