Kids get introduced to technology mostly through Big Tech social media and video games platforms.
Parents don’t know and can’t control what kids see and do on these platforms so they are doubtful from the start in having kids use them.
But such platforms are so widespread and peer pressure so high that parents finally accept kids to use them often with the only condition that they don’t spend “too much time” there.

Trying to regulate screen time usually doesn’t work long term for 3 reasons:

• parents still don’t know what kids do there and only see the effects, some being addiction or aggressive moods
• negotiating the time becomes tiring and frustrating on both sides
• screen time is manged through parental control features that are still owned and regulated by the same Big Tech social media and gaming platforms

Opensource Contribution:

Not focusing on screen time anymore but on content and way of using
What – own and expert verified content on opensource tools
How – by introducing kids early to healthy opensource tools and content and teaching them how to assess and mange risks themselves

Long term goal:
Creating a platform, a community and events around them where opensource tools and expert support, trusted by parents, are available directly to kids.

Kids control tech by opensource digital immunization

Based on 10 principles:
1) Introduce first and early to kids the opensource digital tools and principles
2) Create a balanced kids offer of opensource tools but without banning (but closely monitoring usage) the not-open source “popular” ones
3) Offer a big variety of digital tools and activities (VR, games creation, 3D animation, videos and photos editing etc) that occupy kids time instead of a monopolistic one activity like gaming
4) Mix offline and online activities
6) Ensure educational content and tools are fun for kids in the first place
7) Show kids the backdoor of technology to help them understand how it’s made and how it works
8) Expose kids and involve them and parents in the organisation and development of digital tools offers, events and community building experiences
9) Educate kids on technology impact on big topics like: privacy, copyright, media literacy and help them develop risk assessment abilities
10) Encourage all kids to be more technology-savvy and those interested in programming to develop more specific skills

A round table of educators, open sources professionals, software companies would be a great support to our parents initiative "Brussels OpenSource Kids" https://kids.keskonfai.com/@adas_fan_club
It can go from debating together general challenges and providing feedback about our events and activities so far to very concrete actions like: 1) a co-organizing kids/parents events framework 2) building during the event a "kids super OSS super PC" as a gadget they can play with after school, during play dates etc 3) creating a frame for Kids Clubs transversal to family, school, hobbies environments.
On my side I can have 3- 4 participants and if proposal accepted I can approach others and also would be great to have already subscribed participants to the event.