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Digital Safety

The Talk 2.0: Navigating the Digital World with Your Child

Fostering secure and savvy internet use

We’ve all had ‘The Talk’ (complete with red faces and awkward props) but now there’s a whole new rite of passage for parents and kids. As children access the online space at an increasingly younger age, ‘The Talk 2.0’ is an imperative part of their (and our) development. Parents, guardians and educators have to find the safest, simplest and most accessible way in which to introduce these young minds to the dangers and excitements of the digital world. There are many challenges to contend with, such as cyberbullying, online safety and data protection but these can all be managed and understood carefully and calmly. Children should be able to grow up into a world that utilises digital technology for its capacity for connection and innovation but we know that a foundation of safety is of the utmost importance.

Gathering reliable resources for parents, guardians and educators is one of the best ways we can support navigating this crucial yet tricky conversation. Since rallying our team of experts to bridge this gap, and drawing from their vast knowledge, our deeper understanding has allowed us to present you with the tools you need to make your Talk 2.0 clear and informed — unfortunately, we can’t make it less awkward. 

I'm eager to keep the conversation alive and evolving. I encourage you to join me in this ongoing exploration and develop a resourceful solution together. Learning never stops for any of us, does it? 

Steffi Plattner is a film director and producer. Before founding Storming Donkey in 2012, Steffi, a trained actor, worked in Berlin’s theatre and film production industry for years. She developed the multi-award-winning feature film Hördur, directed by Ekrem Ergün. It won Best Children’s Film by the German Film Critics Association in 2015 at the Berlinale Film Festival, among others. Steffi has since released several feature films and documentary films with Storming Donkey. Most have premiered at internationally renowned festivals including Berlinale, the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival, and the SXSW Film Festival in Austin.

Besides commercial film production, she operates the non-profit organisation Tales of Us—an ongoing multimedia series that offers an alternative approach to communicating the urgency of protecting the world’s most powerful and fragile ecosystems and the people who call them home. Her debut film, a short called ‘The Little Fish and the Crocodile’, which she directed for Tales of Us, won awards at the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival as Best Live Action Short among others.

Explore the depth and significance of cultural terms in our latest dialogue, and join us in fostering respect and understanding in the digital realm. Dive into the conversation here.