Agenda item

On 10 March 2026 Medway Youth Council (MYC) delivered its annual Young Peoples Conference DigiCon: The impact of Digital Technology on young people. With an ever-digitising society, MYC sought to capture young people’s experiences of living, learning, socialising and developing in the current digital landscape. The report makes key recommendations from young people about how these issues raised could be addressed.

Estimated time: 25 minutes

Discussion:

The report made key recommendations from young people about how issues raised on 10 March 2026 Medway Youth Council (MYC) could be addressed.  The MYC had sought to capture young people’s experiences of living, learning, socialising and developing in the current digital landscape at its annual Young Peoples Conference DigiCon: The impact of Digital Technology on young people within an ever-digitising society.

The Chairperson commended MYC for producing a clear, well?structured and thoughtful report, noting the significant work undertaken and the strong emphasis on ensuring that the voices of young people across Medway were heard. The Committee expressed unanimous praise for the quality and depth of the report.

Social media - Members reflected on the relevance of the report to their own experiences as parents and carers. It was acknowledged that whilst concerns remained regarding screen time, gaming and social media use, the findings provided reassurance that many young people demonstrated awareness of online risks and adopted sensible behaviours, such as interacting only with known contacts and seeking parental consent for in?game purchases. In response to questions as to what advice they would give parents and carers concerning social media use, MYC representatives advised that it was important to listen to young people’s perspectives when considering regulatory approaches, highlighting the balance required between safeguarding and avoiding overly restrictive measures that could inhibit digital skills development and future employment opportunities. It was noted that rapid technological advancement required adults and decision?makers to improve their own understanding in order to effectively support young people.

Engagement - In response to questions, MYC representatives advised that engagement with young people at the conference had been inclusive, with facilitators ensuring that quieter participants and those with additional needs were supported to contribute.

Harmful content - It was highlighted that young people in Medway generally reported lower than average screen time compared with national figures and demonstrated awareness of the risks associated with AI and harmful online content. In response to questions, MYC representatives explained that reluctance to report harmful content was largely due to a lack of trust in platforms taking meaningful action and that their lone voice would not make a difference. It was agreed that encouraging reporting and reinforcing its importance remained essential.

Employment - In response to questions, MYC representatives advised that there were concerns with regards to future employment especially around mathematical and art based careers. It was suggested that this could form a topic for future work.

Education - The Committee discussed the use of AI in education, noting that both students and teachers were increasingly using AI tools. It was noted that different schools had different approaches and varied in their digital literacy and uses, with teacher fatigue suggested with regards to ‘policing’ the use of AI in homework. It was suggested that education should focus on responsible and critical use, including understanding that AI was not always accurate. Concerns were raised regarding reliance on AI, potential impacts on learning outcomes, and the need for consistent expectations for both students and staff. It was suggested that whilst young people were fairly confident users of technology, this did not necessarily translate into advanced technical understanding. It was important to improve digital education and access. An MYC representative gave an example of a concern with losing art creativity giving an example of a teacher using AI to create a picture undermining the time and effort a student could spend in creating something themselves.

During the discussion, a query was raised regarding the Council’s digital procurement and sustainability approach. Officers undertook to provide further information outside the meeting.

Decision:

The Committee noted the Medway Youth Council Annual Conference Report 2026 and the recommendations made as a result of findings from the conference.