PikPok.online@guguță, on tour in Stăuceni. Over 230 children advised not to believe everything they see on the internet

How many of the things we see every day on the internet are real? Can we trust every photograph, video or message that appears on our screen? What do we need to know about fake news? Primary school pupils from the ‘Ilie Fulga’ Public Educational Complex (Primary School and Kindergarten) in Stăuceni, Chișinău, watched the theatre performance PikPok.online@guguță on 12 November, as they sought to answer these and other questions.

The performance is a joint initiative of the Independent Journalism Center (IJC) and the ‘Guguță’ Municipal Puppet Theatre, and offers young audience members the chance to discover the dangers of the online world.

At the start of the performance, the actor Alexandru Săli asked the children to be attentive to the content of the theatre piece because it reflects today’s reality, where some people deliberately post false information on social media to gain popularity, likes or to trick others. “Not everything we see on the internet is true. It’s good to ask questions, check the information and seek an adult’s help when we’re not sure about something,” said the actor.

The young audience were captivated by the characters’ performance, which brought to life a story with an unexpected beginning, in which the wolf tries to gain popularity online by posting fake videos, causing others to be misled. However, towards the end, he admits his guilt and apologises to his friends, promising them he will stop lying and behave responsibly.

“It’s a welcome show for children, because it teaches them what sort of information ends up online and how it can be used to attract attention, manipulate and influence the behaviour of those around them,” said Cristina Negură, a teacher of first-year pupils.

She added that children nowadays have access to the internet and all sorts of devices from a very young age, when they are not yet able to distinguish right from wrong and are unaware of the benefits and risks of the internet. “Through this show, the children have realised that true friends are not always online. We must appreciate and enjoy real friends, those we talk to face to face, those we go out and play with, and with whom we have a good time,” concluded Cristina Negură.

Angela Vrabie, a teacher of second-graders, also believes that the performance had a positive impact on the children.

“The show has a clear message; we will definitely discuss it in our digital literacy lessons, and I hope they will gain an even better understanding of how to use the internet to their advantage and protect themselves from risks, such as content they shouldn’t be watching or accessing,” said Angela Vrabie.

The pupils we spoke to mentioned that they enjoyed the show and that they agree with their teachers and parents regarding limiting screen time. During the discussion, the children also offered some advice for their peers.

Daniel, 2nd grade: “Of all the characters, I liked the wolf best – he was bad, good and funny all at once. He taught us to be careful online. I have a mobile phone, but I’m not addicted to it. Recently, my parents bought me a set of books and I’m completely absorbed by them; I really enjoy reading them. I’d advise other children too: instead of wasting time playing games on digital devices, they’d be better off going for a walk, playing outside, doing some exercise or reading.”

Gabriela, 2nd grade: “I liked the little rabbit because he forgave the wolf when he made a mistake. I appreciate the characters’ good manners. I’d like to recommend this show to children because they’ll learn useful things from it. I’d also recommend that children help their parents and grandparents with the housework in their free time, rather than playing mobile games or watching animated videos.”

Valeria, 2nd grade: “I liked the squirrel because she was a lively character and supported her friends throughout the show. What I took away from today’s show is that it’s good to doubt what we see on screens as often as possible. That would be my advice to other children too.”

Marinela, 2nd grade: “I liked all the characters and I’d like to recommend that other children watch it too. It’s better to go to the theatre and watch a children’s show like this than to watch everything that comes up on the internet. Spending too much time in front of screens is bad for your health.”

PikPok.online@guguță is an adaptation of the educational story ‘A Click of the fangs or the Manipulative wolf’, written by Latvian media researcher Solvita Denisa Liepniece, and is aimed at kindergarten and primary school children.

The performance lasts 45 minutes and is included in the repertoire of the ‘Guguță’ Theatre, both in Russian and Romanian. In partnership with the Independent Journalism Center, the ‘Guguta’ Theatre launched the Romanian version of PikPok.online@guguță in November 2022 and the Russian version in February 2023.

The show is in the form of an educational and entertaining story and is intended for kindergarten children as well as primary school students. The play helps young children understand how the online environment works, encouraging them to analyze what they have seen or heard, especially on social networks.

The tour of the theatre production PikPok.online@guguță is being launched as part of the project ‘Fostering Resilient and Modern Ecosystems’ (FRAME) project, funded by Sweden and implemented by Informed. The project aims to strengthen Moldova’s information ecosystem by fostering a sustainable independent media sector that delivers high-quality content, enhancing citizens’ resilience to disinformation, and contributing to an enabling environment that promotes press freedom and democratic participation.