Fondazione Mondo Digitale is the Italian partner of More Than a Device, the international platform run by Protect Children
A mobile phone, a tablet or a computer are not just devices. They are gateways to environments where children and young people learn, build relationships, play, stay informed and may also encounter situations that are difficult to recognise and manage. This is why online safety cannot be reduced to rules, restrictions and screen time: it requires informed adults who are present and able to engage in dialogue.
With this aim in mind, More Than a Device was launched – an initiative promoted by the Finnish organisation Protect Children to involve parents and carers in digital safety education. The project is being piloted in five countries – Finland, the United Kingdom, France, Spain and Italy – and is supported by Google.org.
The Italian version of More Than a Device is now also available, created in collaboration with the Fondazione Mondo Digitale, the sole Italian partner on the platform. The programme is free and offers a variety of flexible ways to help adults develop knowledge and skills regarding online safety and, above all, to turn these into opportunities for discussion with young people. The international platform has been designed to integrate podcasts, short videos and interactive exercises, allowing parents to choose the learning methods best suited to their needs.
A conversation to build together
The Italian version also features the podcast with Alli Beltrame, a counsellor and trainer; Veronica Jardin, a specialist at Protect Children; and Claudia Campisi, a psychologist and trainer at the Fondazione Mondo Digitale. This programme helps parents to understand the experiences, opportunities and risks of online life with greater awareness, thereby strengthening family dialogue.
The ‘More Than a Device’ approach is based on a simple principle: just as in other social settings, children and teenagers also need the educational guidance of adults in digital spaces. Protect Children emphasises that it is not only how much time young people spend online that matters, but also what they do, what content they encounter, what experiences they have and who they interact with.
This perspective aligns with the work carried out over the years by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale on digital education as a shared responsibility across generations: not a conflict between control and freedom, but the gradual development of autonomy, critical thinking and the ability to ask for help.
Resources for families and educators
In the section dedicated to further reading, resources developed by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale are also available, including the guide Media and Minors and materials related to Get the Most Out of the Internet, to continue the educational journey beyond the platform. The aim of this international collaboration is to help equip adults to tackle conversations that may seem complex, without leaving families to cope alone with the rapid pace of change in technologies, platforms and behaviours. The ‘More Than a Device’ pilot will also help to understand which training methods are most effective at reaching and engaging parents and carers, with the aim of developing a model that can be replicated on a larger scale.
