Conclusions

• Author: European Institute for Gender Equality (EU body or agency)
• Pages: 60-62

5. Conclusions

European Institute for Gender Equality60

5. Conclusions

(57) According to Special Eurobarometer 460, in 2017, 92 % of women and men aged 15-24 consider themselves to be suciently skilled

in the use of digital technologies in their daily life.

(58) As shown in Figure 8, in 2017 92 % of women and 93 % of men aged 16-24 use the internet daily.

(59) More information on the Paris declaration of EU education ministers and the measures taken towards its implementation can be

accessed at this link: https://eu2015.lv/images/notikumi/2015-3-10_Declaration_EN.pdf

(60) As presented in Figure 12, in the EU-28 82 % girls aged 15-16 use online social networks daily compared to 72 % of boys of the same

age. As shown in Figure 11, 60 % of women aged 16-24 have uploaded self-created content in the past 3 months compared to 56 % of

men in the same age group.

Most young women and men in the EU consid-

er themselves suff iciently skilled to use digital

technologies in their daily lives (57). Nevertheless,

more young men feel confident in using digital

devices they are less familiar with than young

women. A self-confidence deficit among young

women is observed across a series of digit al skills

that are subjectively measured (e.g. self-reported

perceptions, confidence in problem solving or au-

tonomy when downloading software). More than

a difference in levels of skills, this deficit shows

the effect of gender stereotypes related to tech-

nology. The implications are far-reaching. Girls

lower perception of their own capacity in using

digital technologies makes it less likely that they

will engage in digital jobs in the future. In addition

to establishing a more equitable basis for online

participation by girls and boys, addressing young

womens self-conf idence deficit would also help

to combat gender segregation in education and

the labour market.

Young people are the most active users of the in-

ternet (58) and social media. T hey are also among

the highest consumers of online news. This level

of access to information, exposure to different

perspectives and involvement in social debates

can greatly facilitate active invol vement in pub-

lic life and ac tive citizenship. Research shows

that social media and news outlets are likely to

constitute important venues for young peoples

opinion formation (Cammaerts, Bruter, Banaji,

Harrison, & Ans tead, 2014). Young people tend

to agree that online social networks contribute

to the public political debate. They also believe

that political information on social media should

not always be trusted and are aware of the risks

of disinformation. They have the capacity for crit-

ical thinking and discerning judgement. Such

capacities should be supported, in line with the

objectives of the EU education ministers Paris

declaration, in promoting social cohesion, dem-

ocratic values and active citizenship to children

and young people, which calls for enhancing

critical thinking and media literacy, particularly in

the use of the internet and social media, so as to

develop resistance to discrimination and indoc-

trination (59).

The high engagement of youth, particularly

girls (60), with online social networks shows that

the digital world is a space of intense socialisa-

tion. It operates differently for girls and boys,

with a very strong emphasis on self-presentation

for young women and girls, including more em-

phasis on physical appearance, greater concern

with privacy, less acti ve participation, and an ef-

fort to express non-offensive opinions. Girls and

young womens socialisation from an early age

to carefully curate self-presentation both of fline

and online leads to girls lower propensity to t ake

part in civic and political debates, in line with their

lower overall participation in online debates. This

corroborates research showing that digital plat-

forms operate as both spaces of empowerment

and identity formation, but also as sites of surveil-

lance and self-monitoring, especially in gender

norms linked to physical appearance (Baer, 2016;

Carstensen, 2013; Consalvo & Paasonen, 2002;

Levi-Sanchez & Toupin, 2014). In other words,

girls are exposed to harsh criticism for having

an open profile, or too many friends, or for post-

ing too much information, which suggests that

pre-existing discrimination on womens public

participation continues to police and curtail girls

capacity to fully par ticipate online.