Maximizing Opportunities and Minimizing Risks for Children Online: The Role of Digital Skills in Emerging Strategies of Parental Mediation

Abstract

As Internet use becomes widespread at home, parents are trying to maximize their children's online opportunities while also minimizing online risks. We surveyed parents of 6-to 400

Mediation of young children’s digital technology use: The parents’ perspective

“…Although our research is from the parental perspective, the parents acknowledge the role of their children in the mediation process. This result also supports the study of Livingstone, Ólafsson, et al (2017), which indicates that the parental mediation of technology usage is interconnected with the parents' perception of their child's digital skills. When parents perceive a child as a competent internet user they support their activities, such as allowing them to use the technology for a longer time and without constant supervision.…”

“…On the individual level, studies have indicated that parental mediation can be related to demographic variables, such as the age and gender of the parents (Kirwil, Garmendia, Garitaonandia, & Martínez Fernández, 2009;Sonck, Nikken, & de Haan, 2013); the parents' education ; the age and gender of the children (Eastin, Greenberg, & Hofschire, 2006;Livingstone & Helsper, 2008); the household socioeconomic status (Livingstone & Helsper, 2008); and the family size (Sonck et al, 2013). Parental mediation is also associated with the parents' perceptions of their children's digital skills (Livingstone, Ólafsson, et al, 2017); the level of the child's (Lee & Chae, 2012) and the parents' media literacy (Mendoza, 2009); the level of the parents' digital skills (Livingstone & Helsper, 2008); the child's motivation to use media; the frequency of media use in the family (Lee & Chae 2007;Livingstone & Helsper, 2008); and the parents' views on the various effects of media content on their children (Sonck et al, 2013). On the socio-cultural level, studies have indicated that parental mediation of their children's internet use is affected by the culture of their country (i.e., countries' individualistic or collectivistic values; Kirwil, 2009) and their country's level of welfare (Kalmus & Roosalu, 2012).…”

“…They are not a stable, easily measurable behavior; rather, they emerge over and over again according to time, place, and the parents' and children's characteristics and behavior. Up-to-date research has mostly measured the sociodemographic factors of parents and children that impact parental mediation, such as gender, age, education, digital skills (i.e., Livingstone, Ólafsson, et al, 2017;Nikken & Schols, 2015). We suggest that future research should involve the context of the situation more, such as the time and place of the application of the mediation strategies, because there is nothing like stable general mediation.…”

Mobile technologies in schools: The student voice

“…Perhaps the format of the focus groups, by including existing peer groups, led participants to downplay any Internet restrictions they may have outside of the school environment. If not, such a finding is in contrast to that of much of the literature (e.g., Livingstone et al, 2017). There was some indication of self-regulation from the students, but the more prominent theme was the perceived need, particularly in terms of keeping up socially, of constant connectivity.…”

Tipe Mediasi Ibu Rumah Tangga Terhadap Keselamatan Internet Anak Dan Remaja

“…Usia dan keterampilan anak pun mempengaruhi tipe mediasi yang diterapkan. Hal ini berkaitan dengan kemampuan anak dalam menggunakan gawai dan beraktivitas online (Livingstone et al, 2017;Nikken & Schols, 2015). Anak yang telah piawai menggunakan gawai dan berinternet akan menghabiskan waktu penggunaan lebih lama dan menyendiri atau asyik dengan dunia maya (Nikken & Schols, 2015).…”