CDF Youth Dialogue Forum
The CDF Youth Dialogue Forum is a space for youth-centred discourse, bringing together voices from different fields and disciplines to work towards constructive and collaborative problem-solving. By facilitating such a dialogue, Citizen Digital Foundation aims to enable the youth to factor in the experiences and challenges of diverse groups, tackle issues from different angles of expertise and unite these perspectives in a holistic discussion.
'GPT: Friend or Tool?' - August 2025 at Kappiness, Trivandrum
Glimpses from the event at Kappiness Mental Health Cafe, Trivandrum.
'My Data My Rules' - January 2025 at The Reading Room
The fifth iteration of Youth Dialogue was an in-person discussion and public consultation on the draft rules of the Digital Personal
Data Protection Act (DPDPA) 2023 in partnership with Civis, Pacta and The Reading Room.
Glimpses from the event at The Reading Room and mobilisation activities
Total Impact - Insights from Civis
The Civis WhatsApp chatbot customised for the event recorded 69 registered responses. A total of 120 persons attempted participation in
the public consultations process.
The responses reflected significant confidence (62.5%) in the data protection provisions of the DPDP Rules. However, only 46.9% of respondents found the data breach provisions to be adequate and the biggest concern was around the protection of children’s data, with over half of the respondents finding the rules lacking. Moreover, 14.1% of respondents consistently indicated uncertainty across all three questions, suggesting a possible lack of clarity in the rules.
Cult A Way ‘24 - May 2024 at SCTCE’s annual cultural fest
The fourth Youth Dialogue Forum was hosted at Sree Chitra Thirunal College of Engineering’s(SCTCE) annual cultural fest, Cult A Way. Students dove into dialogies on the urban–rural education gap and whether social media empowers free speech or amplifies harmful content, making for an energetic and thought-provoking exchange.
Glimpses from the event at Cult A Way ’24 – the annual cultural fest of SCT College of Engineering
Tatvika Avalokanam - April 2024 at The Reading Room
CDF hosted a dynamic dialogue with the Tatvika Avalokanam debating group on who bears responsibility for the spread of fake news and harmful content online. The free-flowing discussion ranged from policy reforms to citizen accountability, backed by evidence and insights.
Good Tech Squad - April 2024 at TRINS
CDF brought the Youth Dialogue Forum to Trivandrum International School(TRINS), where students of grades 7 and 8 debated whether social media makes young people feel more connected or more isolated. With sharp arguments and thoughtful suggestions for safer platforms, the dialogue showed just how deeply students are thinking about the digital world.”
Glimpses from the event at Trivandrum International School as part of CDF Good Tech Squad activities
CDF Youth Dialogue Forum - January 2022
In 2022, CDF launched the first Youth Dialogue Forum (YDF), an interdisciplinary dialogue centred around the topic, “Social media is an integral part of this generation’s culture. How can it also become a safe space for all?”. This online edition, presented by the Goethe-Zentrum, Trivandrum and in association with Federal Bank and AD&S Business Consulting, brought together students from engineering, law, management, and journalism to encourage solution-oriented and constructive discussion of challenges from all perspectives.