Gen Z Demands a Safer, Better Internet

Gen Z: The Digital Whiz Kids Turning the World Upside Down

Across the US, UK, Europe, and beyond, the Gen Z crew is showing politicians and CEOs that a smartphone‑in‑hand can be a super‑power. These youngsters are masters of the digital frontier, wielding social media like a compass to steer public debates and fire back at the old guard.

They’re Not Just Activists, They’re Digital Dreamers

Racial Justice: From viral hashtags to grassroots campaigns, they keep injustice on everyone’s radar.
Climate Change: They turn their lenses into protest signs—photos, memes, livestreams that shout, “Sustainability is a must!”
Tech & Net‑Work: A generation born with a pixel in their pocket.

Born into the Net, Surfing the Pandemic

Even before Covid‑19 hit, Gen Z was already thumb‑slinging through the web. Suddenly the whole “real‑world” was locked up, and they were thrust into a version of life that was 100 % Wi‑Fi‑only. Our clever digital natives didn’t just adapt—they barged into the future.

But Wait—Is the Internet Actually For Them?

There’s a truth that’s been hiding in plain sight: comfort does not equal fit. Sure, they’re comfortable, but if the platforms don’t evolve to match their needs, they’re doomed to an exhausting, health‑impacting overload.

Need for Better Tools: “I want a safer space to share ideas,” they’d say.
Mindfulness Matters: Digital fatigue is real; the net should help, not hinder.
Unplugging Is Essential: Balance of screen time and physical hustle must become a norm, not an exception.

So, here’s the take‑away: The internet can’t stay a one‑size‑fits‑all platform. It must level up, giving Gen Z the agency to thrive while making sure their hearts and minds stay healthy.

Social media for societal change

Gen Z: The Digital Demolition Crew

Born with a Wi‑Fi signal in their pocket, Generation Z didn’t just surf the internet – they surfed the ocean of online life. Even before the world hit pause, these teens spent more time glued to screens (especially social media) than people from any other generation.

When Clicking Becomes a Campaign

That screen‑time wasn’t a waste of minutes. A majority of Gen Zers are on fire—both literally and figuratively—about social change. In a recent survey on the French platform Yubo, 88 % of respondents felt Black Americans face unequal treatment, and 78 % already tweeted their support for equality.

TikTok: From Dance Floor to Debate Stage

What started as a place to showcase the latest Tik‑Tok dance now doubles as a political playground, with almost 60 % of its users being Gen Z. That means their influence can outshine traditional media in many ways.

Take 16‑year‑old Charli D’Amelio: she rocks 80 million followers, outshining CNN’s top anchor Anderson Cooper (just 10 million) and the entire network’s 58 million fan base.

Concrete Campaigns That Made Headlines

Blowing the roof off a Trump rally’s expected turnout just to embarrass the President.
Door‑knocking on affordable housing, healthcare, utility shut‑offs, gun control, police brutality, and climate change issues.

These stories prove that Gen Z isn’t just scrolling—they’re activating the digital landscape and shouting loud enough for the world to hear.

Online environment not free from pollution

Gen Z: The Online Wilderness (and Why It’s All—Except—Fun)

When the COVID‑19 pandemic turned every protest into a Zoom‑only version, it didn’t just shift the battlefield; it cemented the digital realm as the new front line for Gen Z. And guess what? That virtual arena isn’t exactly a cozy campfire; it’s more like a crowded coffee shop where everyone’s sipped on their own latte.

The Alienation Index: The Dreaded High Score

The Alienation Index measures how glued or disconnected people feel in their local communities and the nation. In 2018, it hit an all‑time high—think of it as a scoreboard for loneliness. Why? Because the promise of an interconnected digiverse turns out to be a myth: the “more you’re online, the lonelier you’re” reality, especially with trolls, fake news, and looming privacy headaches.

Why Big Tech Has Gone So… Not?

Twitter & Facebook have been spectacular at building echo chambers rather than welcoming communities.
Gen Z wants a safe space where they actually feel heard, not just another platform for spamming ads.

The Yubo Model: A Glimmer of Hope

While the giants have been lukewarm, Yubo has flipped the script. They put users over profit and rolled out policies to protect young users—no cliffhangers about hacking or harassment.

Triple Growth in daily new users since U.S. lockdown began.
Community first – privacy & safety baked into the platform.

Educational Fallout: The Great Global Lock‑Down

During the peak of school closures, over 90 % of the world’s students—roughly 1.6 billion—were hit by the shutdown. Yet:

20 % of U.S. students in the richest nation had no tech to keep learning.
UK’s “digitally excluded” initiative loaned out computers to keep England & Wales from falling behind.

The Reality Check

Even those with gadgets found the shift jarring. Studies show that U.S. students will see their reading skills crash by 30 % and math by 50 % in 2020 relative to a regular school year. Lower‑income kids? They’re the ones losing the most.

⏱ Attendance tracking is a nightmare in remote learning.
Grades feel like a guessing game.

Bottom line: Gen Z’s favorite digital playground has turned into a paradox—connected yet isolated, safe yet compromised, and hopeful but still far from perfect. The task ahead? Build a world that truly listens, safeguards, and learns with us.

Old hands need defter touch

Why the Future of Learning Is All About Clicks, Not Chalk

Think of your last high‑school lecture. You probably walked out with one new fact in your pocket and the rest still fuzzy. Flip that scene to an online classroom and the numbers change dramatically.

Facts that Make You Go “Whoa!”

Students pick up 25–60% more information when studying in a digital format.
They’re up to 60% faster at completing lessons.
The global market for e‑learning is projected to hit $350 billion by 2025.

If the skyline just keeps climbing, we better stop turning a blind eye and toss some cash toward students who didn’t get a golden laptop slot in the first place.

We’re Not Just Uploading Content

The web needs to shift from “just a sandbox” to a safe playground. Kids shouldn’t be treated like data points or strangers on a platform. Who’s the one keeping “kid mode” from turning into “youth failed safe mode”? That’s on the older crew—our duty to care, coach, and create.