The Challenge of Digital Literacy: From ‘Phygital’ Reality to the Myth of the Digital Native

The new generations do not separate the physical world from the virtual one. However, their technological immersion does not guarantee safe or responsible use. In the face of the rise of Artificial Intelligence and issues such as cyberbullying, digital education stands as the only possible shield.

Today’s youth inhabit a completely different paradigm than past generations. For them, the boundaries between what happens in a public square or on a social network have completely blurred. However, being constantly connected is not synonymous with knowing how to use digital tools with sound judgment—a gap that poses major challenges for families and educators in a technological environment that is advancing at a breakneck pace.

Youth in a ‘Phygital’ World: From Consumers to Creators

Yolanda Rueda, president of the Cibervoluntarios Foundation, explains that today young people live immersed in a “phygital reality,” where they mix the physical and the digital. Their life is, by definition, a connected reality in which the parameters of conversations and relationships happen on both planes simultaneously.

In order to navigate this ecosystem, training in digital skills becomes a fundamental pillar. The main objective of this early literacy is none other than to allow young people to move from being “mere consumers” to becoming “active individuals and agents in building the digital ecosystem.”

Prevention and proactivity are key. The earlier this training begins, the better the results will be, as teenagers feel safer and equipped with the right tools to navigate actively. In this process, Rueda warns, it is essential to listen to young people and make them the protagonists, since they constitute the true foundation upon which “citizen digital sovereignty” will be built.

The End of the “Digital Native” and the Risks of Artificial Intelligence

However, to achieve that sovereignty, old beliefs must be torn down. Laura Cuesta Cano is blunt about it: the myth of the “digital native” is over. Being born surrounded by screens does not grant critical knowledge about their use. This shortcoming becomes especially evident when looking at the rapid adoption of new technologies; nearly 64% of adolescents and young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 already use Artificial Intelligence tools.

This technological breakthrough contrasts sharply with the disconnect among adults. According to data from the United States, 50% of young people say their parents know “little or nothing” about their actual use of AI, and 61% state that their caregivers never or almost never bring up the subject with them.

The lack of adult guidance and critical thinking creates situations that demand action. Cuesta Cano highlights a shocking stat: 22% of young people use chatbots to make inquiries related to mental health, and what is even more concerning, 92.7% consider the answers received to be truly useful. This trend toward artificial confidentiality is also reflected in the fact that 15% of teenagers have already used AI to vent about personal matters.