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eighteen - The effectiveness of parental mediation
- Edited by Sonia Livingstone, London School of Economics and Political Science, Leslie Haddon, London School of Economics and Political Science, Anke Görzig, London School of Economics and Political Science
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- Book:
- Children, Risk and Safety on the Internet
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 07 September 2022
- Print publication:
- 18 July 2012, pp 231-244
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Summary
Introduction
A child's relationship with the internet is shaped by multiple factors. Chapter 17 showed that individual characteristics (demographic, psychological), national context (socioeconomic stratification, legal framework, technological infrastructure, education system, cultural values) and social mediation influence the way that children use the internet and, thus, the risks and opportunities they encounter. The actions of parents, siblings and peers and teachers are part of that social mediation (see Livingstone et al, 2011).
Since parents are responsible for their children's education, they play a vital role in limiting the risks and harm to which children may be exposed. In the specific case of the internet, it should be remembered that although children's use of handheld devices is growing, the household is still the main locus of internet access (see Chapter 4 in this volume). Research has examined the role of parents in children’s media use, distinguishing different types of parental mediation strategies (see classifications in Valkenburg et al, 1999; Livingstone and Helsper, 2008; Kirwil et al, 2009). This chapter explores which strategies are the most effective for minimising online risks and harm and maximising online opportunities for children, using the classifications in Chapter 17 – summarised as: (i) co-use – parent is present/sharing the activity with the child; (ii) active mediation – parent discusses content (for example, interprets, criticises) to guide the child; (iii) restrictive mediation –parent sets rules to restrict the child's use (for example, time or activity); (iv) monitoring – parent checks available records of child's internet use; and (v) technical restrictions – use of software to filter, restrict or monitor the child's use.
In practice, it is difficult to distinguish co-use and active mediation, since sharing an activity generally involves talking about it. Therefore, in this chapter, instead of distinguishing between ‘active mediation’ of internet use generally, and active mediation of internet safety in particular, we combine these classifications. This combined classification probably represents the main sources of support available to children. For policy makers, it enables them to differentiate by demographic factors and by country when providing support for children.
Overall, all these mediation types are fairly widespread among children.
sixteen - Parental mediation
- Edited by Sonia Livingstone, London School of Economics and Political Science, Leslie Haddon, London School of Economics and Political Science
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- Book:
- Kids Online
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 15 July 2022
- Print publication:
- 30 September 2009, pp 199-216
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Summary
Theoretical framework
Parental mediation of children's use of the internet involves the regulation of children's internet use by parents in order to maximise benefits and, in particular, to minimise the potential negative impacts of the internet on children (Livingstone, 2007; Livingstone and Helsper, 2008). The notion originates in socialisation theory that refers to the parent–child relationship as a developmental process and envisions the parental mediation of internet use through regulatory strategies that parents introduce to maximise benefits and minimise risks for their children (Kirwil, 2009a). Therefore, parental mediation of children's use of the internet involves various child-rearing strategies and practices guided by values which are important to parents and which children learn within the family. Parental mediation of internet use is influenced by such characteristics as the age, gender, internet literacy, frequency and motivation for internet use of the child and the gender, socioeconomic status (SES), education, internet use and skills, awareness of online risks and theories of child development of the parents, together with the importance they give to values threatened by internet use and their attitudes towards the internet (Padilla-Walker and Thompson, 2005; Eastin et al, 2006a; Livingstone and Helsper, 2008). Moreover, there seems to be a link with child-rearing values found within a culture (Kirwil, 2009a).
The most useful theoretical framework describes parental strategies for mediating children's internet use by employing a two-dimensional approach: ‘system-based’and ‘user-based’ parental mediation, that is, technical solutions and parental guidance for children. Other frameworks describe a ‘protective’ versus ‘promoting’ parental attitude to children's upbringing, and differentiate between general strategies of social mediation, restrictive mediation and instructive mediation. Types of parental mediation are similar to general parental styles in family socialisation, dimensions of authoritarian, authoritative, permissive and neglectful styles (Eastin et al, 2006a; Lwin et al, 2008).
Technical solutions consist of software installed on the computers used by children to monitor the way they use the internet, that is, what kinds of activities they undertake online, what websites they visit and with whom they communicate. Usually ‘monitoring’ means checking the computer used by the child and blocking inappropriate websites or communication forums and/or talking to the child about the unsuitability and potential negative consequences of these websites and communication forms.
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