In the recently released report from the EU Kids Online project, the findings from a survey of children aged 9–16 years from 19 European countries – Finland and Norway among them – and their use of the internet and digital technology are presented.
The report aims to map different aspects of young people’s online use and centres around four main areas: access, practice and skills, risks and opportunities and social context. Whereas access focuses on how children go online and for how long, for example which devices they use to go online, practice and skills describes what they do, for example which services they use and if they have enough skills to understand and use the internet for their benefit.
The area of risks and opportunities deals with negative and positive experiences such as online aggression, cyberbullying and seeing potentially harmful content, meeting new people and preferences for communication online. Social context refers to, for example, parental mediation and support for safe use but also “reverse mediation”, when children help their parents with difficulties they encounter in their online use.
Similarities and differences to previous survey
The report is a follow up of the EU Kids Online 2010 survey, where children in 25 European countries and their parents participated. The unique 2010 survey had a great impact on policy and prevention work on both national and international levels, providing enhanced knowledge and better insight into children’s technology use and online experiences.
The 2020 survey partially followed the 2010 edition. However, since significant changes occurred during the time period, such as the increased access and use of smartphones and fast mobile internet, adjustments of the questionnaire were required. Other changes to consider regard new services, such as Instagram and TikTok, used by young people and the development of touch-screen devices enabling internet use at earlier ages. Possibilities for direct comparison with the 2010 data are limited.
Catharina Bucht