This item is available under a Creative Commons License for non-commercial use only
Information science (social aspects)
Panel Title: EU Kids Online: young people’s internet use in four European countries and implications for media literacy provision This panel presents findings arising from the EC-funded ‘EU Kids Online’ thematic network on research into young people’s use of the internet and online technologies (see www.eukidsonline.net). The internet is now an integral element of young people’s everyday media consumption, presenting new risks, opportunities and responsibilities. Perspectives on children’s online safety are divided between protectionist approaches, which view children as potential victims of harmful internet content and educational perspectives, which prioritise the development of young people’s critical media literacy skills to encourage responsible online behaviour. However, little is known about what children and their parents consider risky, how this might vary in diverse national and cultural contexts, or how we might balance the risks and opportunities that the internet offers. New research from Estonia, Spain, Ireland and Portugal regarding online risks and safety-related responses will be presented and the implications for media literacy provision will be examined. Emerging findings from the network will be positioned in relation to the European Commission’s communication on media literacy (December, 2007).
O’Neill, B.: EU Kids Online: young people’s internet use in four European countries and implications for media literacy provision. Presented at IAMCR Congress: Media and Global Divides, Stockholm, July 20-25, 2008.