Children’s Critical Thinking Online

Prepared for MRS kids conference Nicki Karet + Alison Preston

January 29th 2015

What we were ultimately asked to find out...

• Do children understand the issues and risks around their own personal data and activity online and what, if any, strategies do they employ to manage these issues and risks?

• How do they decide which external information sources to trust online

A triangulated approach...

A mixed approach enabled us to get

beyond surface responses

Friendship Triads

In a nutshell, here are some of the main findings…

Self-promotion and image management are key functions of online (esp for teens)

Teens make an effort to develop their ‘online image’; to a large extent their behaviour mirrors

that in the offline world

And by 11/12 they are using multiple channels to manage their image and communicate online

Tends to have greater influence in younger years (8-11s) where children look to their parents for guidance most

BUT throughout parents were mentioned regularly

Home plays a crucial role in shaping children’s perception of online risks

• They know about risks online even from a young age – most have the knowledge!

• Most parents and schools (and the media) are playing a role in educating

• Younger more about being taken/kidnapped, bullying, seeing ‘bad’ content

• By teen years as social networks grow becomes more about attention from strangers, hacking...

• BUT as they get older not surprisingly they take more risks –and it can be different even within peer groups

Most are aware of how to avoid risks onlineDifferent techniques used

As children get older they manage risks more independently

Some ‘trading off known’ dangers for the reward on offer!

TRUST...

The majority feel safe when using the most well- known sites, and all learn about the need to ‘filter’

• Trust is less front of mind

• Not an overt or active issue

• If parents and friends say it is ok – then it is!

• Big brands can be trusted • Authenticating unknown

sites largely visual – look and feel important

Seeing is believing in the online world so visual communication sites/apps tend to gain trust more easily

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