At today's plenary session of the Milli Majlis, deputies presented new initiatives aimed at improving the behavior of young people on social networks and increasing their responsibility in the virtual space.
According to Deputy Hikmət Babaoğlu, it is necessary to prepare special textbooks to increase young people's knowledge regarding ethical behavior on social networks, public relations, and legal violations.
This initiative will serve to foster young people as responsible and conscious citizens in the digital environment as well.
Commenting on the topic to AzEdu.az, Günay Əkbərova, a member of the Public Council under the Ministry of Science and Education, considers this issue to be a very relevant and timely initiative:
"Today, children and adolescents are growing, developing, and communicating not only in the real environment but also in the digital space. Social networks have become an integral part of their daily lives. In such circumstances, teaching social network ethics and digital behavior culture in schools seems necessary. Looking at international experience, we see that this topic is already being taught systematically in many countries.
For example, in countries like Finland, Estonia, and Great Britain, the concepts of “digital citizenship”, “media literacy”, and “online safety” are integral parts of school curricula. The goal here is not to scare children with prohibitions, but to raise them as conscious, responsible, and ethical digital citizens.
In my opinion, this topic can be taught not as a separate subject, but rather in an integrative manner within the framework of life skills, informatics, and even language lessons. Students should be explained issues such as ethical behavior in online communication, protection of personal data, cybersecurity, hate speech, cyberbullying, and disinformation through real-life examples.
We must not forget that the role of the school and the teacher is not only to impart knowledge but also to prepare children for society. If a part of society already lives in the digital realm today, the school cannot remain outside this reality. In short, with the right approach and professional methods, teaching social network ethics in schools can contribute to the formation of a healthier, more responsible, and more cultured society in the future".
