Mirta Michilli interviewed for the ‘Festival del Futuro’ supplement, distributed with four daily newspapers published by the Athesis group
“I believe that educating people about digital freedom today means, above all, teaching them the ability to choose.” This is the observation with which Mirta Michilli, Director-General of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale, opens the interview published yesterday, 10 November, in the special supplement Festival del Futuro, distributed at newsagents with four daily newspapers from the Athesis group: Il Giornale di Vicenza, L’Arena, Bresciaoggi and Gazzetta di Mantova.
The headline chosen for the cover, “Are we still free?”, introduces a reflection on the transformations of contemporary society and the new ways in which our choices are influenced. In the interview, entitled “Citizenship on the web is built through thought”, Michilli addresses the relationship between artificial intelligence, independent judgement and democratic participation, with a particular focus on the role of education.
“Growing up with a smartphone does not mean understanding the digital world,” observes Michilli. Familiarity with technology does not, in fact, guarantee the ability to recognise algorithmic manipulation and bias, verify information, protect personal data or assess the consequences of one’s choices.
A particularly significant point concerns the risk of entrusting even the work of thinking to artificial intelligence. “In the age of AI, in fact, the new wealth lies not only in data or algorithms, but in the human capacity to formulate intelligent, responsible and generative questions.” This is a skill to be cultivated through study, discussion and experimentation, so that the immediate availability of answers does not diminish our ability to question and explore in depth.
This challenge involves the entire educational community. Schools, families, universities, businesses, institutions and the third sector are called upon to share responsibilities and objectives. This is the model that the Fondazione Mondo Digitale has been promoting for over 25 years and which finds one of its most significant expressions in the RomeCup, through collaboration between students, teachers, researchers, businesses and citizens.
The interview also highlights the Foundation’s educational initiatives, from Vivi Internet, al meglio to Experience AI, from Ital.IA Lab for School to the Digital Licence for Teachers, alongside the community of Teachers at the Scuola del Noi and Pathway Companion, the project dedicated to supporting the learning of children and young people with special educational needs. The concluding message is aimed at all generations: understanding data, algorithms and artificial intelligence systems has now become a new form of civic culture, essential for consciously exercising one’s rights and participating in democratic life. Because digital freedom, even before it is exercised, must first be learnt.
