Rapid digitalisation in the Global South has brought significant economic and social benefits but also exposed young people to new risks, including online economic exploitation. Young people are particularly vulnerable to risks related to limited digital literacy, socio-economic disparities and weak regulatory frameworks, which can lead to financial losses, debt and lack of access to education and employment opportunities (UNICEF, 2019). The socio-economic and psychological impacts of these challenges can be profound, with young victims often facing long-term financial setbacks and becoming trapped in poverty cycles (World Bank, 2018).

Despite a growing recognition of these issues, there remains a critical gap in research focused on young people in the Global South. Current interventions often fail to address the unique cultural, socio-economic and regulatory contexts of these regions, making them less effective. There is a pressing need for research that not only explores the nature and extent of digital predation in these areas but also develops contextually relevant and effective interventions. Addressing digital predation requires a comprehensive framework that considers the multifaceted nature of youth wellbeing in digital environments. The concept of relational wellbeing (RWB) offers a promising approach, focusing on the quality of individuals’ relationships and interactions within their environments, including digital spaces (Hart, 2019).

The study will take a participatory approach, holding stakeholder workshops to gather feedback on research findings, framework development and intervention design. In addition, the project will employ text mining of news articles and social media content from the target countries (Indonesia, Ecuador and Ghana) to identify trends, incidents and patterns of digital predation.

This real-time data collection will provide continuous insights into the evolving nature of digital risks faced by young people. Surveys and focus group discussions will be conducted with diverse stakeholders, including young people, educators, non-governmental organisations, policy-makers and industry representatives, to gather both qualitative and quantitative data on youth experiences, vulnerabilities and the effectiveness of interventions.

The aim is to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current state and effects of online economic exploitation of young people in the Global South, with a focus on understanding the socio-economic and psychological impacts. In addition, a comprehensive relational wellbeing (RWB) framework will be developed that integrates relational subjects, thinking and working, with an emphasis on newly identified financial drivers.

This work package aims to empirically test the impact of these drivers on youth wellbeing through path analysis, and to develop and empirically validate socio-technical interventions aimed at enhancing youth resilience against digital predation, ensuring these interventions are contextually relevant and effective.

This project’s main aim is to protect and enhance the wellbeing of youth in the Global South by addressing the growing threat of digital predation. As young people become increasingly vulnerable to online economic exploitation, there is an urgent need to develop resilient socio-technical systems. These systems must both shield youth from these dangers and empower them through improved digital literacy and cybersecurity practices. The project will achieve this by focusing on the RWB of youth, and integrating personal, societal, environmental and financial factors into a holistic framework designed to foster safer digital interactions.

The project will conduct empirical studies to examine the relationships and impacts of newly identified financial and other key drivers on youth wellbeing. This research will help assess how financial literacy, access to financial resources and experiences of economic exploitation affect relational wellbeing. An impact pathway plan will outline steps to translate research findings into practical applications, such as policy briefs and digital tools, and strategies for scaling up these interventions.