Digital capital and safety in socialization process. An Italian case study

The process of digital acceleration, which in the last few years of the pandemic crisis has affected formal socialization contexts such as schools and families, has led to a critical reflection on the new responsibilities and skills of the digital citizen, in order to preserve his autonomy in the management of virtual dynamics while respecting certain ethical principles at the basis of navigation. These principles underpin the implementation of a digital culture in which the use of devices is guided by a sense of responsibility and respect for otherness. The new digital skills of the citizen go beyond specific access techniques and focus mainly on conscious digital behaviour at the basis of safeguarding various forms of individual and social well-being. Through the illustration of the main results of a national survey promoted by Sapienza University of Rome in 2020, the paper intends to provide a reflection on the degree of diffusion of digital awareness among Italian adolescents and on the impact of school and family digital capital in the development and implementation of such skills.