Publication details
Rules of engagement : Family rules on young children’s access to and use of technologies
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2018 |
| Type | Chapter of a book |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Attached files | |
| Description | This chapter reports on a study funded and coordinated by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission which aims to explore young children and their families’ experiences with digital technologies such as smartphones, tablets, computers and games. The project involved seven countries: Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Italy, Russia and the United Kingdom. In each country, interviews and observations were undertaken with ten families in their homes, each with a child aged between 6 and 7 and many with younger and older siblings. The project sought to examine young children’s access to and use of digital technologies and to explore how parents mediated this use. This chapter reports on the findings of the study that relate to the rules that parents do, or do not, impose in relation to children’s access to and use of technologies, reflecting on the effectiveness of parents’ mediation of children’s online practices, and their awareness of the risks/opportunities balance. In addition, the chapter considers children’s understanding and management of parental rules, analysing the kinds of negotiations they undertake with various family members that shape their engagement with technology. The chapter concludes with a consideration of the implications of the study for policy for this age group. |