Let’s Hear from the Experts
The previous section gave you the basics about online public spaces. But there’s so much more to discover. In this section you will learn from experts working in the field and take a closer look at a WACC Global-supported project on digital citizenship. You can use this material to inspire deeper reflection on how you can create and protect healthy public spaces wherever you go online.
Expert Input
What is open access publishing?
Traditional academic and scholarly publishing models can be expensive, often keeping articles and research locked behind costly paywalls. This prevents students, researchers, and others from accessing up-to-date information, especially in lower-income countries and remote areas.
This video explains how traditional publishing models compare with open access, and how free distribution of publications can lead to faster innovation and broader impact.
(Source: PHD Comics, a website devoted to humorous but incisive commentary on academic culture.)
How do echo chambers work?
In an echo chamber, people only encounter information and opinions that mirror or reinforce their own. While finding others with similar concerns and perspectives can be helpful for building community, echo chambers can restrict your worldview, making you think that the world is more homogeneous than it is.
This short video explains how echo chambers work, how they are different than filter bubbles, and how you can spot them.
(Source: GCF Global [Goodwill Community Foundation Global], a United States nonprofit organization that offers free educational content and resources to help people develop essential life, job, and digital skills.)
Case Study
Building a Safer, More Secure (Online) World in Georgia
Who: A group of young people in Georgia – a country nestled between Europe and Asia in the Caucasus region – were trained to become digital citizenship ambassadors through a collaborative program between WACC Global and Helping Hand. The 25 ambassadors were equipped with the necessary skills and know-how to promote online safety among their friends, schools, and communities, reaching up to 2,500 more people.
What: The project addressed the growing risks of online harassment, fake news, and disinformation. Young people receive little or no training on these issues in school, so the ambassadors program helped make online public spaces safer and more secure for everyone in Georgia and beyond.
Where: Digital citizenship ambassadors were identified and trained in 25 schools across Georgia.
When: This project started in September 2023, and built on previous WACC-supported initiatives with Helping Hand that created media hubs in schools and other kinds of digital media literacy training.
Why: There is a critical need for digital safety education in Georgia, where many young people lack awareness of how to navigate the digital world safely. A youth-first approach addresses immediate risks, like cyberbullying and online harassment, and empowers them to be active participants in shaping online public spaces for their generation and those to come.
Break Time
Time for a little break! Are you wondering how to improve your online public spaces? Wondering how it’s possible to have true public spaces when everything seems to be owned and run by a few big technology companies? Take a moment to jot down your ideas. Think about these questions before you continue:
- How does unequal access to online public spaces reflect other types of inequality in your country or region?
- Who owns or controls the online spaces where you spend most of your time? How do those companies profit from your presence there?
- If you could redesign one online public space to make it more inclusive and just, what would you change?
Have you gathered your thoughts? Ready to go futher?
Great! Then let’s keep going. Click on the button below to head toward some hands-on activities to reinforce what you have already learned.