News

Net Children and EU Kids Online joint report

1 December 2014 - by
Schermata 2014-11-28 alle 17.04.52

Net Children Go Mobile and EU Kids Online launch a joint report comparing data from 2010 (the EU Kids Online survey) and 2013-4 (the Net Children Go Mobile survey).

 Main findings include:

  • Internet use is increasingly privatised and mobile, with more children accessing the internet in the privacy of their bedroom and when out and about compared to 2010.
  • Although children do more online in 2014, most do not climb far up the “ladder of opportunities”.
  • SNS use has increased for boys and teens; 22% 9-10 year olds and 53% 11-12 year olds use Facebook.
  • Fewer than half of children see themselves as “digital natives” compared with their parents. Digital self-confidence has decreased among the 9-10 year olds, only 10% of whom now believe they are more skilled than their parents.
  • Children now report being better able to protect themselves online: more than half of 11-13 years olds (55%) say they can change their SNS privacy settings (it was 43% in 2010); among 14-16 year olds, it is now 79%.
  • The comparison of findings from 2010 to 2014 shows only moderate increases in some risks, and no increase at all for others. Potentially negative forms of user-generated content (e.g. hate, pro-anorexic or self-harm content) are more common.
  • The proportion of children who reported being bothered or upset online in the past year has increased from 13% to 17%; the biggest increases in recent years are among girls and teenagers.
  • In some countries, the changes from 2010 to 2014 suggest children are experiencing more of both risks and opportunities – in Denmark, Italy and Romania (and, less, in Ireland); but in Belgium, Portugal and the UK, children are now benefiting from more online activities without an equivalent increase in risk.
  • Two thirds of parents have suggested ways for their child to use the internet safely, according to children aged 9-16. Indeed, parents prefer far more to talk about internet safety than use parental controls in all countries and for all age groups; but the levels of parental mediation are not increasing despite parental concern and awareness-raising efforts.

 


The report Children’s online risks and opportunities:
Comparative findings from EU Kids Online and Net Children Go Mobile is online at http://netchildrengomobile.eu/reports/