Designing Tech for Children’s Well-Being at SXSW 2023
The Joan Ganz Cooney Center, the LEGO Group,
Google Kids and Family, and NYU Create Lab discuss the
Responsible Innovation in Technology for Children (RITEC) project
SXSW Design Track
March 10, 2:30pm CT | JW Marriott Salon 7/8
March 3, 2023 (New York, NY) — Children today do not see the digital world as distinct from “real life”— it is simply part of the world in which they learn and play. And while there is much to be done to reduce risk and prevent harms to children in digital spaces, we should also seek opportunities to enhance and improve children’s well-being through digital media. Designing digital experiences that allow children to develop a sense of identity and belonging, increase their competence and creativity, and connect with others in diverse, equitable and inclusive environments, will help them move from safe to thriving.
The Responsible Innovation in Technology for Children (RITEC) is a global, multi-stakeholder and cross-sectoral initiative founded by UNICEF and the LEGO Group, supported by the LEGO Foundation, that aims to (1) create a framework that maps how the design of children’s digital experiences affects their well-being, and (2) provide guidance as to how informed design choices can promote positive well-being outcomes. Industry leaders from the LEGO Group, Google Kids and Family, the NYU CREATE Lab, and the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop will discuss the research that has informed the framework so far and how their respective organizations are using the framework to promote design practices that lead to positive well-being for young people.
Michael Preston (Joan Ganz Cooney Center) will moderate Designing Tech for Children’s Well-Being with Elizabeth Milovidov (the LEGO Group), Jan Plass (NYU Create Lab), and Jennifer Kotler Clarke (Google Kids and Family) on Friday, March 10 at 2:30pm CT.
SXSW attendees are invited to recharge and continue the conversation in the LEGO Play Lounge in room 403 of the JW Marriott. The lounge is open from 9am to 5pm CT on March 10 and will include opportunities to connect with panelists and fellow attendees in an informal space.
