A/HRC/32/37 64. Concern has been expressed regarding the negative impact of digitization, for example regarding the “reordering of education institutions in line with the logical network” and with respect to network time as a “chronic distraction”. 32 65. Nicholas Carr provides profound insights into the deleterious impact of digital devices on our mind and spirit, and sheds light on how this scuttles humanist values in education: “How sad it would be, particularly when it comes to the nurturing of our children’s minds, if we were to accept without question the idea that ‘human elements’ are outmoded and dispensable.” Meditative thinking, the very essence of our humanity, might become a victim of this.33 IX. Fostering the humanistic mission of education 66. In the Qingdao declaration, the challenge of realizing the potential of digital technologies within a humanistic framework was identified.34 67. Full development of the human personality is the primary objective of education, as laid down in international human rights conventions. The four pillars of education — learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together and learning to be — propounded by the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-First Century in its 1996 report Learning: the Treasure Within, continue to be important. Higher education is a public good and a public service, and massive open online courses should not be used to weaken public provision of education or promote the privatization and commercialization of public education.35 68. Universities, as the moral seat of learning, must foster the common human values so much in need today, in the face of the challenges of globalization. Fostering the humanistic mission of education is of paramount importance to counter the trend towards the pursuit of material values and a merely instrumental role for education. This is critically important, as the humanistic mission of education is being vitiated. X Risks of digital education 69. Misuse of technology can lead to cyberbullying, criminal activity and even to terrorism. Educators must prepare their students to face new risks. The need to protect children from the potentially harmful effects of online content has been underlined by the Committee on the Rights of the Child. Most serious is the risk of sexual abuse or exploitation, but less serious risks include advertisements, spam, sponsorship, disclosure of personal information, and content that is aggressive, violent, hateful, biased, racist, pornographic, unwelcome and misleading. 36 The State must take measures to protect children from online harassment, including bullying or “grooming” for sexual purposes. Finally, care must be taken to ensure children do not become involved in illegal activities, financial scams or terrorism.37 32 33 34 35 36 37 John Morgan, “Universities challenged”, p. 18. Nicholas Carr, The Shallows, p. 87. “Online, open and flexible higher education for the future we want”. Education International, statement on massive open online courses. See Committee on the Rights of the Child general comment No. 13 (2011) on the right of the child to freedom from all forms of violence, para. 31. Ibid. 13