Research updates

Make the digital world safer for children

11th December 2017

Global Kids Online research evidence was used in UNICEF’s annual flagship report on The State of the World’s Children 2017: Children in a digital world launched today. Despite children’s substantial online presence – 1 in 3 internet users worldwide is a child – too little is done to protect them from the perils of the digital world and to increase their access to safe online content, is argued in the report.

Brazil: 24.3 million children are now online

28th November 2017

The Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br) just launched the results of the latest ICT Kids Online Brazil survey, conducted annually since 2012. Based on home-based computer-assisted interviews with 2,999 children and their parent or guardian, the survey highlights key issues related to internet access, online opportunities, and safe internet use.

Recognising online hurtful behaviour among peers

17th November 2017

Global Kids Online examines a wide set of hurtful behaviours that children encounter online alongside the opportunities that the internet affords. Our approach recognises the connections between online and offline experiences and avoids the assumption that all online risks are inherently harmful. This research brief summarises key comparative findings on hurtful behaviour amongst peers.

South Africa: using evidence to influence policy

13th November 2017

The Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention used the novel research findings from Global Kids Online to inform the current policy priorities, legislation, as well as the general public discourse on children’s risks and opportunities. In a context where robust evidence on children’s use of the internet is only beginning to emerge, many efforts are concentrated on identifying the gaps and working with stakeholders on carefully formulating the key priorities.

Impact work in Bulgaria: using evidence to promote digital literacy

27th October 2017

Using the evidence from the Global Kids Online study, the Applied Research and Communication Fund chose strategic priorities for their knowledge exchange and impact efforts. Selecting a focus on children’s digital and media literacy, the Fund now utilises a number of long-term partnerships and collaborations towards the effective creation of new educational and training opportunities.

EU Kids Online is conducting a new survey in Europe

20th October 2017

The EU Kids Online network sets out to provide new empirical evidence on children’s and young people’s online experiences, following the large-scale comparative survey conducted in 2010 in 25 countries. Eleven European counties have already started praparing for the new research which introduces additional topics, such as cyberhate, discrimination and violent extremism, cyber-bystanders, digital citizenship, e-health, and the internet of things.

Working on knowledge exchange and impact

22nd September 2017

The LSE Department of Media and Communications and UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti recently hosted a meeting of the Global Kids Online network which offered an opportunity for researchers from Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America to discuss research dissemination challenges and share local experiences of working effectively with stakeholders to maximise research impact.

Global Kids Online fieldwork in Uruguay has started

12th September 2017

Uruguay is embarking on innovative research on children’s online experiences as part of the Global Kids Online network in Latin America. The Kids Online study is conducted with the joint effort of UNICEF – United Nations Children’s Fund – Plan Ceibal, UNESCO, AGESIC, and the Universidad Católica del Uruguay.

Excellent support from key stakeholders in Ghana

31st August 2017

At the Global Kids Online meeting earlier this summer, UNICEF Child Protection Officer Joyce Odame outlined that UNICEF Ghana is currently funding national research on the risks and opportunities associated with child online practices in Ghana. A progress report highlighted the scope of the research, active involvement of a range of key stakeholders and some key challenges emerging during the fieldwork.