Digital rights in digital exclusion settings: the experiences of institutionalised youth in Portuguese detention centres

ABSTRACT Institutionalised youths who are digitally disconnected while long-standing in detention centres (in Portugal, these are called educational centres) face constraints to their digital rights. Given that most youths already come from deprived contexts, their present and future lives are deeply challenged. This article explores data collected in the participatory project DiCi-Educa, based on institutionalised youths’ digital media production and critical thinking, regarding issues such as digital citizenship, participation, and otherness. Using a participatory action research (PAR) methodology, they were stimulated to widen their views of the world and reflect on their digital rights and acts of participation using digital media. Institutionalised youths’ understandings before the project were centred on the use of social media, video games, illegal downloads, and hacking. Thus, during the project, they were challenged to debate participatory acts using the internet and digital media as tools for social change. The results point to these tools as relevant opportunities to the disconnected settings of the ECs. We recommend the need to tackle critical methods for thinking the digital realm as a path to building critical skills with these youths. Widening their views of the world can stimulate their well-being and contribute to avoiding risky behaviours. IMPACT SUMMARY Prior State of Knowledge: Summarize what is known about the topic. The digital rights experiences of institutionalised youth in detention centres are an under-studied topic in media studies. In addition, there is a lack of research compiling participatory media production and reflection on the uses of the internet in these contexts. Novel Contributions: Summarize the primary contributions the findings make to the field. This study revealed the need to (1) bring digital and technological opportunities to the disconnected youth in detention centres; (2) the need to ensure quality types of digital equipment and a stable broadband connection; at last, (3) it pointed to the necessity to widen youth views of the world and promote non-risky behaviours. Practical Implications: Authors should explicitly state what the practical implications of their findings are, and whether those implications are primarily for practitioners, policymakers, or parents. Our findings primarily target youth and staff in detention centres and secondly policymakers. We suggest to develop (1) longitudinal research and training with institutionalised youth and (2) training for the detention centres staff.