A/69/264 72. ICTs open avenues to learn about children’s rights and about ways of securing children’s protection. They provide opportunities for young people to access information from institutions, including Ombuds offices; and to seek advice from child helplines, to report incidents of violence and ask for help when they feel at risk. 73. Alongside their unique potential, ICTs are associated with risks, making children vulnerable to harmful information, bullying, abuse and exploitation in ways that are sometimes difficult to detect and respond to, including by families and caregivers, teachers and others. 74. Indeed, harmful material and information, including violent, sexually explicit or hateful content, become available more easily and may also spread more quickly, potentially reaching millions in a fraction of a second and remaining in cyberspac e for a lifetime. Violence, abuse and exploitation may take place in spaces that do not come under adult supervision, including when children go online from mobile devices or in Internet cafes; and parents and caregivers may struggle to keep up with technological developments, especially in countries where digital literacy is low. Maximizing the potential and minimizing risks is crucial for all children 75. Across regions, more and more children use ICTs at an increasingly young age. Children navigate online for longer hours, alone or without adult guidance or supervision. Although this enhances children’s digital literacy, it equally exposes them to risks. 76. According to significant research conducted in Europe by EU Kids Online, more than 70 per cent of children 9 to 16 years old use the Internet; in some countries this figure rises to more than 90 per cent. In a recent survey conducted with adolescents in nine countries in Latin America, 14 the vast majority recognized the potential of the Internet for enjoying access to cultural activities, supporting their studies and carrying out group work for school through virtual connections; and significantly, more than 80 per cent considered quality access to the Internet as a fundamental human right. As many of them highlighted, “technology is not bad; it depends on the use one makes of it”. 77. In countries in the North, Internet access is more frequent from home, at times through a shared family computer; children also use their own laptop or mobile phone in the privacy of their bedroom. In the global South, access is often from Internet cafes or from mobile devices, creating new challenges for children’s safety. 78. Pushing boundaries, exploring new experiences beyond adult scrutiny, and testing capacities to cope with adversity are common characteristics of adolescence. But when new technologies are involved, parents and caregivers express concerns and insecurity, especially when they have limited experience of those technologies and lack the skills to counter the risks their children may encounter. 79. Maximizing the potential of ICTs and minimizing possible risks is a crucial concern shared across regions. This is relevant for all ages, including very young children, among whom the use of new technologies is growing rapidly. Indeed, touchscreen devices and smart phones are making the Internet easily accessible to toddlers and preschoolers. __________________ 14 14-58801 Research on children’s use of the Internet in Latin America, conducted by RedNatic for the Expert Consultation in June 2014. 15/23