ABSTRACT

This chapter looks at the impact of digital experiences on an individual’s sense of self and personal well-being. The hyperconnected world that is so prevalent in a young person’s life is having an enormous effect on how they view themselves and how they are forming their identity during this fundamental stage of development. Digital well-being is about finding the balance on this continuum and enjoying competence, autonomy and relatedness in a complex, interconnected and amorphous world. Within the digital environments, it is a trivial fact that most people are well informed simply because they have more information about a more extended range of issues compared to pre-digital times. The significance of The Onlife Manifesto is that it launches an open debate on the impacts of information and communications technologies on public spaces, politics and societal expectations towards policymaking in the Digital Agenda for Europe.