Digital safety initiatives and screen time risks for youth

Banco Popular has launched a new initiative in Costa Rica to provide families with tools for safer digital navigation. Through an alliance with KidsNetGuard (KNG), the bank is offering educational content designed to help children, adolescents, and parents protect personal data, create secure passwords, and recognize fraud and digital identity risks.

This initiative addresses growing concerns regarding digital literacy. Data from PISA 2022 indicates that 43% of 15-year-old students in Costa Rica did not reach basic financial competence levels, while 57% reported making online purchases in the previous year.

In a related discussion on digital wellness, experts warn that excessive screen time can impact child development. Psychologist Jesús Octavio Febres notes that prolonged use of electronic devices can affect brain plasticity, potentially harming attention spans, concentration, and impulse control. Common warning signs of technology addiction include social isolation, sleep disturbances, academic decline, and extreme emotional shifts such as anxiety or hostility.