The role of parents in the engagement of young children with digital technologies: Exploring tensions between rights of access and protection, from ‘Gatekeepers’ to ‘Scaffolders’

Dias, Patrícia; Brito, Rita; Ribbens, Wannes; Daniela, Linda; Rubene, Zanda; Dreier, Michael; Gemo, Monica; Gioia, Rosanna Di; Stephane, Chaudron

doi:10.1177/2043610616676024

Cited by 92 publications

(72 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Secondly, most of the research on privacy is focused on how children share information about themselves in digital contexts, which can also jeopardize their safety (e.g. boyd, 2014; Davis and James, 2013;Lapenta and Jørgensen, 2015;Dias et al, 2016;Holloway and Green, 2016;Holloway et al, 2016). Privacy risks to young children, stemming from companies (18) .…”

Section: The Case For Studying the Privacy Of Very Young Children Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the last few years, some studies have focused on young children's (under eight years old) digital technology use via qualitative approaches (e.g. Holloway et al, 2013;Chaudron et al, 2015;Dias and Brito, 2016). This strand of research has indicated that a significant number of young children perform online activities in an autonomous way, and often without any parental co-use or supervision, leaving them vulnerable to privacy infringements.…”

Section: The Case For Studying the Privacy Of Very Young Children Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Children are confronted with advertising, branded content and product placement on digital devices. Companies can collect data through apps and they also use in-app and YouTube advertisements to easily lead young children to clicks that drive them to websites that use cookies, which exemplifies the process of commercial data collection (Dias and Brito, 2016;. While some smart toys do not have screens, affording a human-like interaction with children (such as the toy Cayla), most of them are application (app)-operated (Mascheroni and Holloway, 2017).…”

Section: Topic Of Our Study: Privacy From Commercial Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Media Representation of Children’s Privacy in the Context of the Use of “Smart” Toys and Commercial Data Collection

Milosevic

Dias

Mifsud

et al. 2019

Medijske stud. (Online)

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The growing use of “smart” toys has made it increasingly important to understand the various privacy implications of their use by children and families. The article is a case study of how the risks to young children’s privacy, posed by the commercial data collection of producers of “smart” toys, were represented in the media. Relying on a content analysis of media coverage in twelve European countries and Australia collected during the Christmas season of 2016/2017, and reporting on a follow-up study in selected countries during the Christmas season of 2017/2018, our article illustrates how the issue of children’s privacy risks was dealt with in a superficial manner, leaving relevant stakeholders without substantive information about the issue; and with minimum representation of children’s voices in the coverage itself.

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Section: The Case For Studying the Privacy Of Very Young Children Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Case For Studying the Privacy Of Very Young Children Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Topic Of Our Study: Privacy From Commercial Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Media Representation of Children’s Privacy in the Context of the Use of “Smart” Toys and Commercial Data Collection

Milosevic

Dias

Mifsud

et al. 2019

Medijske stud. (Online)

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“…Previous research on parental mediation of digital technologies has revealed that parents with positive perceptions and attitudes toward digital media are more likely to adopt participating and instructional parental mediation styles, acting as scaffolders for the development of digital (and other) skills in children, while parents with negative perceptions and views about digital media are more likely to monitor, restrict and limit the digital practices of children (Nikken & Jansz, ; Valcke, Bonte, Wener, & Rots, ). Also, research shows that perceptions and attitudes are intricate in experiences, as parents who have higher education, higher income, and who are intense and skilled users of digital media themselves are more likely to have positive views on children using digital technologies (Brito et al, ; Dias et al, ). In our research, we intend to explore to which extent the perceptions and attitudes of parents act as drivers or barriers to the adoption of smart toys.…”

Section: Are Perceptions Shaping the Domestication Of Smart Toys?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Young children, digital media and smart toys: How perceptions shape adoption and domestication

Brito¹,

Dias²,

Oliveira³

2018

Brit J Educational Tech

Self Cite

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Contemporary homes are filled with digital technologies, and children are exposed to them almost since birth, initiating their first digital experiences at very early ages (Chaudron et al., , Young children (0–8)). This trend is expected to become stronger, as our future has been envisioned around the concept of the IoT (Internet of Things), and the first smart toys are arriving at the homes of digitally savvy families. This study focuses on the digital practices of young children, looking particularly at smart toys, aiming to: a) explore how smart toys are being adopted by families, considering the perceptions of children and parents about drivers and barriers to adoption; and b) understand the domestication of smart toys. Our research is exploratory and builds on the theoretical framework, methodological protocols and ethical guidelines of the international projects “Young Children (0–8) and Digital Technologies” (Chaudron et al., , Chaudron et al., Young children (0–8); Dias and Brito, 2016, 2017, Crianças (0 a 8 anos)) and “Media and Social Discourses around Young Children and IoToys” (Mascheroni & Holloway, 2017). Our methodology is qualitative, based on visits to families including interviews with children and parents and participant observation. We selected a purposive sample of 21 medium‐ or high‐income and digitally savvy families in Portugal. Concerning drivers and barriers for adoption, most children identify several smart toys and express interest in having them. Parents are motivated by the amount of satisfaction that the toy will afford the children and the added‐value in terms of learning or developing skills. However, most parents prefer mechanical toys, sports or outdoors activities and the high price is an obstacle. Concerning domestication, smart toys are still scarce in homes and perceived as novelty, thus being in a very early stage of domestication.

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“…Together with the fact that children go online on more personal devices, this situation makes families struggle in mediating their offspring's access to the Internet. 73 On the other hand, parents and families should respect the need of the young to enjoy private spaces in which to share thoughts, opinions and to unfold their personality. Privacy could be violated by parents keeping their offspring's cellphone under excessive control, perhaps even without the latter knowing about it.…”

Section: The Familymentioning

confidence: 99%

Combating Discrimination: Internet Literacy to Strengthen Children’s Rights in the Digital Environment | Combate à discriminação: educação digital para fortalecer os direitos das crianças no ambiente digital

Rosani

2019

Publicum

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The Internet has opened up innovative pathways for children to participate in social life. Besides making available an extensive body of knowledge and enhancing their communication, it has allowed children to show support for issues they care about. Giving children a voice in the public debate, digital technology may critically improve the democratic character of society and foster equality. However, the Internet is also a complex phenomenon and requires relevant knowledge and the competence to sift through information, searching and evaluating content. Such a pivotal need for 'Internet literacy' bears a remarkable potential for discrimination. Research has pointed out that only a small percentage of children reaches the most advanced step of Internet usage, with individuals with a higher socioeconomic status more likely to produce creative and politically relevant content than disadvantaged people. The article specifically focuses on the European situation, analysing the relevant legal framework to foster Internet literacy and children's rights in the digital environment. It explores some pivotal pathways to address the issue together with the different actors, whose involvement is made unavoidable by the interdisciplinary nature of the digital world. This article argues for a stronger awareness on the risk of discrimination arising from the need of Internet literacy for children. Consequently, it advocates for a coordinated educational response by public and private actors to improve children's rights in the digital environment irrespective of existing social inequalities.

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The role of parents in the engagement of young children with digital technologies: Exploring tensions between rights of access and protection, from ‘Gatekeepers’ to ‘Scaffolders’

Cited by 92 publications

References 24 publications

Media Representation of Children’s Privacy in the Context of the Use of “Smart” Toys and Commercial Data Collection

Media Representation of Children’s Privacy in the Context of the Use of “Smart” Toys and Commercial Data Collection

Young children, digital media and smart toys: How perceptions shape adoption and domestication

Combating Discrimination: Internet Literacy to Strengthen Children’s Rights in the Digital Environment | Combate à discriminação: educação digital para fortalecer os direitos das crianças no ambiente digital

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