{"id":88736,"date":"2026-03-13T14:45:54","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T14:45:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pulse-z.eu\/euroconsumers-start-talking-webinar-teens-take-on-digital-fairness-my-experience-on-the-panel\/"},"modified":"2026-03-13T14:46:02","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T14:46:02","slug":"webinaire-euroconsumers-start-talking-les-adolescents-sexpriment-sur-lequite-numerique-mon-experience-en-tant-que-membre-du-panel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pulse-z.eu\/fr\/webinaire-euroconsumers-start-talking-les-adolescents-sexpriment-sur-lequite-numerique-mon-experience-en-tant-que-membre-du-panel\/","title":{"rendered":"Webinaire Euroconsumers Start Talking \u2014 Les adolescents s'expriment sur l'\u00e9quit\u00e9 num\u00e9rique (Mon exp\u00e9rience en tant que membre du panel)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Euroconsumers, a European consumer organization dedicated to protecting the rights and interests of consumers, recently hosted a webinar on digital fairness that brought together teenagers from across Europe. The discussion focused on a space that shapes much of our daily lives: the internet we grew up with and are now expected to navigate responsibly.<\/p>\n

For the young people involved, the webinar was more than just a panel discussion. It was an opportunity to challenge assumptions, question existing systems, and highlight the realities that teenagers experience online. As a participant in the panel, I had the chance to share several key perspectives on digital fairness and the role young people play in shaping a safer and more transparent digital environment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Influencers: Selling Products or Selling an Identity?<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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One of the biggest points raised was the role of influencers.
\nToday, they don\u2019t just sell products, they sell identities. Perfect lives, perfect bodies, perfect routines. This curated world hits vulnerable teenagers the hardest, pushing some to extreme lengths just to imitate what they see on a screen. The argument was clear: if influencers are shaping teen identity, then their content needs stronger regulation and accountability.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cTeens Spend Too Much Time Online\u201d \u2014 A Lazy Assumption<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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Another debate revolved around whether teens are \u201calways online.\u201d My take? It\u2019s too simplistic. The data never tells the full story. Technology is part of school life, part of work, part of socialising, it\u2019s not just \u201cscreen time.\u201d It\u2019s daily life. Blaming teenagers ignores the reality that society itself is digital.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Addictive Design & Anti-Social Behaviour<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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A point raised by another panelist focused on addictive design: apps engineered to keep people scrolling, notifications designed to create dependency, and features that subtly push anti-social behaviour. It sparked an important conversation about whether tech companies prioritize engagement over well-being, and how much of that burden falls on young people.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Should Social Media Be Restricted for Teens?<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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Elodie brought up how 13-year-olds look older than their age, partly due to social media pressure and online performance culture.
\nMy take?
\nYoung people will always find a way to use social media. Restricting access alone won\u2019t solve anything.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What we actually need is:
\n–\u00a0 media literacy in schools,
\n–\u00a0 education about online risks,
\n–\u00a0 awareness of how content manipulates us.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Restrictions may be a start, but not the only solution.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Data: Collected, Tracked & Used Against Us<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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One major concern raised: There are not enough laws protecting young people\u2019s data. Corporations collect everything, what we watch, what we click, how long we pause on a post. This data is then used to influence behaviour, target insecurities, and shape decisions without us realizing. The message was clear: Young people should know where their data is going, and they deserve laws that actually safeguard them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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AI in Our Lives \u2014 Harm or Help?<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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I shared how I personally use AI: as a tool, not a replacement.
\nAI helps me draft, refine, organize, and automate, but I stay in charge of my creativity. It’s an assistant, not the author.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Then came the big question:
\nWill AI steal our jobs?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Just like the internet created new roles (hello data analysts), AI will create new ones too. The problem isn\u2019t AI\u2026 it\u2019s whether we adapt and learn how to use it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I also pointed out AI bias: humans are biased, and any machine they create and program will inherit that bias. That\u2019s why diverse perspectives are crucial in shaping AI responsibly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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My Experience on the Panel<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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The webinar was more than a discussion, it was a dynamic exchange of perspectives.
\nI listened, learned, challenged ideas, and strengthened my own public speaking skills.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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It pushed me to reflect on questions I had never deeply considered before:
\nWhat is digital fairness?
\nWho protects young people online?
\nAnd how can we create the internet we actually deserve?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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Being part of this panel reminded me of something powerful: Teens aren\u2019t passive users of digital spaces, we understand them better than anyone. And when given the platform, we\u2019re more than ready to speak up. My message to policy makers was that they must put citizens\u2014and especially young people, at the heart of the discussion. Youth voices matter, and we\u2019re keeping our doors open.<\/p>\n

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