EXPLORING YOUNG PEOPLE'S USE OF SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES AND DIGITAL MEDIA IN THE INTERNET SAFETY CONTEXT

Abstract

This paper explores young people's use of digital media focusing upon the use of social networking sites (SNS) as a means of networking and communication in the context of internet safety. It also considers cultural and gender differences in the use of the medium. It draws upon recent research conducted by the authors in the UK in 20091 and in the Kingdom of Bahrain in 20102 (the first large-scale research study on young people and internet usage to be conducted in a country in the Middle East). A similar methodological approach was adopted in both studies, which included large random, stratified samples of young people aged 12–18 and focus groups with children aged 7 plus. Both studies investigated internet usage and online behaviours, definitions of risk, awareness of safety and use of SNS. In total, approximately 4,500 young people participated in the research, along with teachers, stakeholders and adults. Findings suggest that young people use digital media in much the same way regardless of the social and cultural contexts, but that culturally gendered perspectives place restrictions upon usage.

Keywords:

• young people
• technology
• social networking sites
• gendered online behaviour
• risk
• internet safety

Notes

This research was funded by the National Audit Office (NAO).

This research was funded by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.

This research was co-funded by the NAO and Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP). The research included an online survey of 11–16-year-olds (n = 1,808) and focus groups (n = 83) of young people.

Bahrain has been selected as a comparative country to the UK because data were collected as part of a project led by the authors in 2010 on behalf of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.

It is estimated that India has approximately 11 million ‘street children’. Children with no fixed abode living and working on the streets (Plan India 2010, p. 41).

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bahrain/13313568716#!/pages/Bahrain/13313568716?v=wall.

The survey was administered online in schools to ensure a high response rate. The survey fieldwork in Bahrain was undertaken by an international social research agency – Neilsen. The online questionnaire was tested using cognitive interviewing with a small group of children and was adapted for use in the Bahrain context.

Cramer's V was used to test for the association between gender and these three responses. The test is both supportive of a gender effect and highly statistically significant at better than 0.01, with V ranging from 0.176 to 0.224. A value of zero would indicate no association; a value of 1 would equal perfect association.

It should, however, be noted that the data were gathered via face-to-face interviews where parents were sometimes present and this may have impacted upon the validity of the data.

A stranger may be defined as someone with whom the child may have spoken to online for some time, but has never met in person.

This finding was established using a multi-linear cross-tabulation analysis between questions exploring the sharing of personal information and meeting online with strangers.

Standard error of 6.2 per cent, p-value 0.34, t-value 0.96 and 5 per cent level of significance.

Jaishankar (2009) defines sexting as the act of self-photographing a nude body or body parts and sending to others as well texting obscene words to known persons (in most cases) using a mobile phone. Mostly, sexting is done by teenagers, though there are some cases of adults involving in it.