The Youth Digital Ombudsman, Dmitry Gulyaev, believes that, to protect Russians—including children—from cyber-criminals and manipulation online, a trusted digital space must be established. He made this point on the sidelines of the Global Digital Forum.
“We are moving toward the emergence of the term ‘trusted digital space.’ Whether this is realistic or utopian remains to be seen. But it is precisely a trusted digital space—trusted technologies—that will allow us to feel safe,” he said.
Security, he added, has two facets. On the one hand, it involves safeguarding personal data and resisting cyber-attacks. “On the other hand, we must be sure that we are not being manipulated—that psychological techniques are not being used against us, that no outside force is influencing our consciousness and worldview,” Gulyaev noted.
Creating such a protected environment, in his view, is possible only through the combined efforts of civil-society institutions, government bodies and business.
Children, he stressed, are the most vulnerable group, so their rights must be protected first. Ensuring their safety online requires speaking “the same language”—engaging opinion leaders who are authoritative for the younger generation.
A new award, “Youth Digital Ambassador,” launched at the Global Digital Forum, is designed to find such leaders.
“We will soon announce the winner of this award. The ambassador will be a young man or woman who in their own country will share the experience of the Youth Digital Ombudsman institution and create projects that teach children to use digital technologies safely. They will not speak from on high—they will speak in the same language,” Gulyaev explained.
Dmitry Gulyaev was elected Youth Digital Ombudsman in 2021 at the first Youth Russian Internet Governance Forum (Youth RIGF). One of the institution’s flagship projects is the International Youth Internet-Security School, launched in 2022 with support from the presidential platform “Russia – Land of Opportunity.” Participants master digital technologies, learn to apply them in their own projects, and, together with experts, devise interdisciplinary solutions to pressing problems.
At the Global Digital Forum, the school’s international track—“International Internet Security School for Youth.GDF”—was held for the first time, organised with the support of Kutafin Moscow State Law University (MSAL) and with Solar Group as general partner.
The track also hosted the inaugural Youth Digital Ambassador Award, an accelerator for talented young cyber-security specialists. The winner will become the Ombudsman’s ambassador in their home country and work to create a safe digital space.
