The LEONORA project, initiated by the CNPD (Commission Nationale pour la Protection des Données) with the advisory and technical support of the LMDDC, addresses serious issues whose understanding and good management are becoming increasingly essential to build a safer future society.

Concretely, it is a toolkit for young people, teachers and parents that aims at raising awareness about cyber risks, while offering concrete solutions to teenagers aged 12 to 16. The themes are divided into four sequences addressing increasingly sensitive topics: from cookie management to online harassment and the dangers of sexting.

We hope that this application will have a positive impact on young people who feel helpless against the risks of the internet.

The Origins Of The Project

During the 2024 edition of the annual conference Nexus 2050, members of the LMDDC team met members of the CNPD. They presented their ambition: create a webtoon addressing issues related to the risks faced by young people on the internet. The idea of a collaboration between the CNPD and the LMDDC was born from this discussion.

After a thorough think‑over, the project took shape as follows: a four‑episode webtoon written and scripted by Lucien Czuga and illustrated by Marc Jost, addressing four themes : social media, online gaming, cyber‑bullying and sexting.

Two notable difficulties emerged: gauging the webtoon’s real impact on knowledge acquisition among young people, and weaving technical terms or complex concepts into a comic without making the reading tedious proved equally delicate. This is where the areas of expertise of the LMDDC and the CNPD have proven to be complementary. On the one hand, the CNPD brought its expertise and prior work on raising awareness about data protection; on the other hand, the LMDDC possesses recognized skills in creating content that is both educational and engaging, as well as in assessing knowledge.

Design Process

This project, aimed at young people, is intended to be in tune with their needs and as close as possible to the issues they face. For that reason, before the webtoon (vertically scrolling comic in a digital format) was written, the CNPD organized youth panels in a variety of settings (different high schools and even Jugendhäuser). During these discussion sessions, Lucien Czuga and the LMDDC developers were able to meet their future audience, which helped them understand how to speak to young people and represent them as accurately as possible through the webtoon.

An additional observation emerged from those interviews: despite parents’ goodwill, young people are often left on their own when facing web-related issues. It therefore was necessary to find a way to involve parents in the educational process, since the project does not aim to replace them but to provide complementary support. Consequently, the project was conceived to stimulate debates and discussions within the family context.

These youth panels made the need for such a project even more evident. It is fully aligned with the LMDDC’s core values, especially respect for privacy and data sovereignty.

The project then took a clearer shape: the webtoon, although insufficient alone, offered a solid and engaging base. It was therefore decided to keep it as a central base, while going further... The final format selected for the project is a Learning Management System (LMS) that integrates the webtoon, together with an educational game that enables young people to debate in class and also benefit from peer‑learning.

The LMS

When reading the webtoon in the LMS, progress is occasionally interrupted by the appearance of a "hotspot". That is, an interactive area offering complementary content on the theme addressed.
These hotspots take three forms: flashcards, quizzes and simulated instant messaging conversations with Leonora, the heroin of the comic strip. Integrated throughout the narrative, these short interactions give rhythm to the reading and allow large volumes of information to be gradually presented, making them more accessible and easier for students to assimilate.
Students wishing to deepen their understanding of certain topics can then find all the flashcards, as well as additional resources, in a dedicated area.

The Game

The four themes of the episodes are personified by “bad guys”, which are harmful habits when using social media or video games. In each comic episode there are three “mini‑bosses” and one “big boss.” To “defeat” these villains, students (working in pairs or larger groups) must answer interactive questions, which enables teachers to check whether they have truly absorbed the concepts presented in the webtoon. To overcome the big boss of each episode, students are invited to debate and discuss with one another, thereby encouraging peer‑learning.

The Project's Outcomes

This project, which took place over a period of 580 days between its signature and its completion, required the involvement of a major part of the LMDDC team, as well as numerous exchanges. We are very proud of the result, which was very well received by young people, 430 of whom were interviewed. Since June 5, LEONORA is available in English, French, and German under this link: https://leonora-gdpr.lu/. Starting from the new school year, the project will enter another phase : its dissemination by the CNPD among teachers.

Takeaways

Working hand in hand with the artists Lucien Czuga and Marc Jost has been a highly enriching experience. Moreover, this collaboration with an institution that bears great responsibilities, the CNPD, has reiterated the LMDDC’s role and impact within Luxembourg’s institutional ecosystem. We would like to thank the CNPD once again for entrusting us, which allowed us to demonstrate both our technical expertise and our capacities as a proactive, advisory partner.