EU Kids Online: Enhancing Knowledge Regarding European Children's Use, Risk and Safety Online, 2010

<p>Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.</p>The project aimed to enhance the knowledge base regarding children's and parents' experiences and practices of risk and safety in their use of the internet and new online technologies in Europe. The goal was to inform the promotion of a safer online environment for children. A comparable quantitative survey of children's use of online technologies across European member states, matched with a survey of their parents' experiences regarding their children's internet use, was designed and conducted. The questionnaire design built on knowledge generated by the EU Kids Online network, on findings from comparable surveys of children and parents conducted elsewhere, and on the recommendations of the Safer Internet Forum 2007.<br> <br> Specific objectives were: (1) to design a thorough and robust survey instrument appropriate for identifying the nature of children's access, use, risk, coping and safety awareness; (2) to design a thorough and robust survey instrument appropriate for identifying the nature of parental experiences, practices and concerns regarding their children's internet use; (3) to administer the survey in a reliable and ethically-sensitive manner to national samples of internet users aged 9-16, and their parents, in member states; (4) to analyse the results systematically so as to identify both core findings and more complex patterns among findings on a national and comparative basis; (5) to disseminate the findings in a timely manner to a wide range of relevant stakeholders nationally, across Europe, and internationally; (6) to identify and disseminate key recommendations relevant to the development of safety awareness initiatives in Europe; (7) to identify any remaining knowledge gaps and methodological lessons learned, to inform future projects regarding the promotion of safer use of the internet and new online technologies; (8) to benefit from, sustain the visibility of, and further enhance the knowledge generated by, the EU Kids Online network.<br> <br> The mixed methods data collection <i>United Kingdom Children Go Online, 2003-2005 </i> (UKCGO) is also held at the UK Data Archive under study number 5475. The study conducted an investigation of 9-19 year olds' use of the internet between 2003 and 2005 in the United Kingdom. Work was conducted with girls and boys of different ages and socio-economic backgrounds across the UK in order to ask how the internet may be transforming, or may itself be shaped by, family life, peer networks and education.<br> <br> Further information can be obtained from the project's web site <a href="http://www.eukidsonline.net/" title=" EU Kids Online">EU Kids Online</a>.<br> <br><B>Main Topics</B>:<br>Specific topics focused on were: children's experiences of the internet across locations and devices; similarities and differences by children's age, gender and socio-economic status; a range of risks experienced by children online; children's perception of the subjective harm associated with these risks; children's roles as 'victim' and 'perpetrator' of risks; accounts of risks and safety practices reported by children and their parents; data across countries for analysis of national similarities and differences.<br> <br> Country-specific codes were standardised to obtain comparable variables for education and socio-economic status across countries. Psychological differences were measured on scales derived or adapted from existing measures for self-efficacy, the Strength and Difficulty Questionnaire (SDQ), sensation-seeking, and internet addiction. The dataset also contains paradata, metadata and auxiliary data.