EU Kids Online
Children’s use of new media formed the core of this project proposal, which was accepted at the beginning of 2006 by the European Commission in the context of the Safer Internet Plus Programme. This is an international networking initiative, which brings together the available data from across Europe on children’s use of media, makes it available to internationally cooperating partners and identifies research needs on this basis. The focus was directed on, among other things, the following questions:
- What sort of research projects and data exist and what questions need empirical data?
- What risks exist, for whom, and for which technologies?
- How do social, cultural and regulatory influences shape responses to risk?
- Which similarities and differences exist across Europe?
- Which questions and demands arise for (future) internationally comparative research?
Institutions from 21 countries in all participated in the project group. Prof. Dr. Sonia Livingstone and Dr. Leslie Haddon from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) coordinated the network.
The entire project divided up into various priority topics, which concerned, among other things, data access, questions of methodology, the demands of internationally comparative research etc. In the last analysis, recommendations for action in future research projects and measures for dealing safely with the Internet and other online services were to be worked out on this basis. The Hans Bredow Institute surveyed the data available in Germany and coordinated a work package, in which a comparative analysis of the international findings was produced.
The available data on online usage by children were gathered and - against the background of general cultural frameworks - evaluated by international comparison. In this way, countries could be differentiated into different types: it became evident, for example, that in countries with little online experience (e.g. Poland, Czech Republic) as well as in countries where online media have been common for much longer (e.g. UK, Netherlands) a high risk of online usage is being observed.
The results of the three-year project, which were presented in London on 10 June 2009, provide an overview on the status of available data, as well as on the urgent need for research and action.
A short version of the final report is available as pdf-file.
One research gap will be closed with the follow-up project EU Kids Online II, in the course of which the conduct of an internationally comparative and representative survey on the risks of online usage in over 20 countries is planned. It is planned to interview children and adolescents between the age of 6 and 17 as well as their parents. The Hans Bredow Institute will coordinate the data analysis. Results will be available in 2011.
Further information is also available at www.eukidsonline.net.
Publications
Lampert, C. (2010): Was machen die anderen? Zur Onlinenutzung von Kindern im europäischen Vergleich [What Do the Others Do? On the Online Use of Children as Compared to Europe]. In: Fuhs, B.; Lampert, C.; Rosenstock, R. (eds.): Mit der Welt vernetzt. Kinder und Jugendliche in virtuellen Erfahrungsräumen [Linked-up with the World. Children and Adolescents in Virtual Enviroments], pp. 73-83.
Livingstone, S.; Hasebrink, U. (2010): Designing a European Research Project on Children and the Internet: Reflections on Comparative Research in Theory and Practice. In: T. Brodasson, U. Kivikuru, B. Tufte, L. Weibull, H. Ostbye (eds.), The Nordic Countries and the World. Perspectives from Research on Media and Communication. Göteborg: Göteborgs Universitet, pp. 135-147.
Lampert, C. (2009): Soziale Beziehungen im Netz [Social Relations on the Internet]. In: proJugend [proYouth], 2, pp. 9-11.
Hasebrink, U.; Livingstone, S.; Haddon, L.; Olafsson, K. (2009): Comparing Children’s Online Opportunities and Risks Across Europe: Cross-National Comparisons for EU Kids Online, 2nd edition. London: EU Kids Online (Deliverable D3.2).
Lampert, C. (2009): EU Kids Online - Kinder und Internetnutzung in Europa [EU Kids Online - Children and Internet Usage in Europe]. In: Kinder- und Jugendschutz in Wissenschaft und Praxis [Protection of Children and Adolescents in Research and Practice], 54, 1, pp. 7-11.
Hasebrink, U.; Stetka, V.; Olafsson, K. (2010): Commonalities and Differences. How to Learn from International Comparisons of Children’s Online Behaviour. In: International Journal for Media and Cultural Politics 6, No. 1, pp. 9-24.
Livingstone, S.; Hasebrink, U.; Garitaonandia, C.; Garmendia, M. (2009): Comparació dels riscos en línia que afronten els infants europeus: reflexions l’ús juvenile d’internet al Regne Unit, Alemanya i Espanya. In: Quaderns del CAC, 31-32: Convergència technològica I audiovisual, pp. 97-105.
Lampert, C. (2009): Digitale Medien in der Lebenswelt von Heranwachsenden. Herausforderungen und Aufgaben für die Schule [Digital Media in the Life of Adolescents. Challenges and Tasks for Schools]. In: Computer + Unterricht, Vol. 19, No. 76, pp. 29-34.
Hasebrink, U. (2009): Gemeinsamkeiten identifizieren, Unterschiede erklären. Herausforderungen und Ertrag international vergleichender Forschung am Beispiel der Online-Nutzung von Kindern und Jugendlichen [Identifying Commonalities, Explaining Differences. Challenges and Results of Internationall Comparative Research Using the Example of Online-Usage by Children and Adolescents]. In: P. J. Schulz, U. Hartung; S. Keller (eds.), Identität und Vielfalt der Kommunikationswissenschaft [Identity and Variety of Communication Studies]. Konstanz, pp. 243-263.
Hasebrink, U.; Lampert, C. (2009): Online-Nutzung von Kindern und Jugendlichen in Europa. Ergebnisse aus dem europäischen Forschungsverbund EU Kids Online [Online Usage by Children and Adolescents in Europe. Results from the European Research Network EU Kids Online]. In: Diskurs Kindheits- und Jugendforschung [Discourse Children and Youth Research], yr. 4, H. 1, pp. 27-40.
Hasebrink, U.; Livingstone, S.; Haddon, L.; Kirwil, L.; Ponte, C. (2007): Comparing Children’s Online Activities and Risks across
Lampert, C. (2007): EU Kids Online – Kinder und Onlinemedien im europäischen Vergleich [EU Kids Online –Children and Online Media in European Comparison]. Onlinenutzung als Chance und Risiko. In: tv diskurs, 3, 11. yr., pp. 4-7.
Events
“Aufwachsen in digitaler Gesellschaft: Internet und Werteorientierung im Lebensalltag von Kindern und Jugendlichen in Deutschland und Europa” [Growing up in Digital Company: Internet and Value Orientation in the Everyday Life of Children and Young People in Germany and Europe], joint event of the Hans Bredow Institute with the State Department for Media and Communication Rhineland-Palatinate and saferinternet.de in Berlin on 7 December 2010.
- „EU Kids Online. Ergebnisse eines europäischen Forschungsverbundes zum sicheren Umgang mit dem Internet“ [EU Kids Online. Results from a European Research Network on Dealing with the Internet Safely], presentation event in the context of the NRW Medienforum in Düsseldorf on 24 June 2009.
The usage of online-offerings by children and teenagers has moved into the centre of discussion and attention, not least triggered by the progression of the social web. This prompted the organisation of a two-day symposium on all aspects of online-media and on the specific challenges with regard to adolescents.
The conference at the Französischer Dom in Berlin on 9 and 10 October 2008, dealt, among others, with the following questions: how significant is the usage of the Internet in the everyday life of children and adolescents? Which opportunities and limitations emerge from the new technologies? What are the options for adolescents to cope with this trend? Empirical results, concepts for a safe virtual environment and possible guidances were discussed. A special highlight was the conferring of the Erfurter-Netcodes-Siegel, an award for high-quality websites for children. »»
„Andere Länder, andere Risiken? Was lässt sich aus europäischen Erfahrungen lernen?“ [Different Countries, Different Risks? What Can Be Learned From the European Experience?], workshop on the project EU Kids Online in Hamburg on 9 July 2008.
„Growing up with the Internet. Challenges for Media Pedagogy“, organisation of the specialist group conference of the DGPuK specialist group, 20. October 2006 in Salzburg (with U. Wagner und I. Paus-Hasebrink).
Lectures
"Kompetent und verloren im Netz - wie nutzen Kinder und Jugendliche die Angebote im Internet?" [Competent and Lost in the Net - How Do Children and Young People Use the Offerings of the Internet?"], lecture by C. Lampert at the symposium "Verloren im Netz! Virtuelle Welten - Fluch oder Segen?!" [Lost in the Net! Virtual Worlds - Curse or Blessing?!] in Siegen on 27 September 2011.
"Online Child Safety – Why it is Important and Which are Issues and Future Challenges", lecture by U. Hasebrink at the Multi-Stakeholder-Workshop “Self-Regulation in the Field of Online Child Safety” of the EU Commission in Brussels on 16 March 2011.
“The Merits of Inter-Cultural Research: The Case of the EU Kids Online Network”, Keynote by U. Hasebrink at the 2nd Workshop of the Young Scholars Network on Privacy and Web 2.0 in Hamburg on 3 March 2011.
“Findings from EU Kids Online II: Initial Results”, lecture by U. Hasebrink at the conference “Growing Up in a Digital Society – Internet and Value Orientation in the Lives of Children and Young People in Germany and Europe” in Berlin on 7 December 2010.
"Different Cyberspaces across Europe? Towards a Typology of Young People’s Online Practices", lecture by U. Hasebrink at the Cyberspace 2010 Congress in Brno on 28 November 2010.
"Die Nutzung sozialer Netzwerke im Internet durch Jugendliche" [The Use of Social Networks on the Internet by Young People], lecture by U. Hasebrink at the 19th Federal Congress Schulpsychologie Handy&Computer@schule.de in Hameln on 18 November 2010.
"Aufwachsen mit digitalen Medien als Herausforderung für die Suchtprävention" [Growing up with Digital Media as Challenge for Addiction Prevention], lecture by C. Lampert at the conference "Netz mit Webfehlern" [Net with Flaws in Wearving] in Hamburg on 28 October.
"Faszinierend verführerisch - welche Chancen und Herausforderungen bietetn virtuelle Welten?" [Fascinatingly Enticing - Which Opportunities and Challenges Offer Virtual Worlds?] lecture by C. Lampert at the conference "Faszination Netzwelten. Chancen und Risiken im Umgang mit neuen Medien. Präventionsdialog zwischen Digital Natives und Fachkräften aus Beratung, Bildung, Jugendarbeit, Gesundheit und Prävention" [Fascinating Net Worlds. Opportunities and Risks of Dealing with New Media. Prevention Dialogue between Digital Natives and Experts from Consulting, Education, Youth Work, Health, and Prevention] in Dülmen on 29 September 2010.
"Vernetzt oder verfangen in virtuellen Welten. Chancen, Risiken und Nebenwirkungen der Onlinennutzung" [Connected or Entangled in Virtual Worlds. Chances, Risks and Side Effects of Online Usage], lecture by C. Lampert at the conference of the working group Kinder- und Jugendmedienschutz Hamburg e.V. "In virtuellen Welten unterwegs – Kompetenzen und Risiken für Kinder und Jugendliche" in Hamburg on 24 February 2010.
"Kinder bewegen sich im Netz - Wo steht die Medienpädagogik?" [Children Move on the Internet - Where Does Media Education Stand?], lecture by C. Lampert in Zurich on 28 January 2010, in Salzburg on 31 March 2010, and in Hamburg on 9 April 2010.
"Jugendliche und Web 2.0" [Young People and Web 2.0], lecture by C. Lampert at the Sophie-Barat-School in Hamburg on 19 January 2010.
"Social Network Sites - Challenges for Media Literacy", lecture by I. Paus-Hasebrink, C. Lampert and U. Hasebrink at the EU Kids Online Conference in London on 11 June 2009.
"Comparing Countries: Similarities and Differences in Findings”, lecture by U. Hasebrink at the EU Kids Online Conference in London on 11 June 2009.
"Das Social Web im Kontext übergreifender Medienrepertoires" [The Social Web in the Context of Overlapping Media Repertoires], lecture by U. Hasebrink at the DGPuK annual conference in Bremen on 30 April 2009.
"Heranwachsen mit dem Social Web" [Growing up with the Social Web], lecture by U. Hasebrink, I. Paus-Hasebrink (University of Salzburg) and J.-H. Schmidt at the media briefing for the presentation of the eponymous study in in Düsseldorf on 29 April 2009.
"Heranwachsen mit dem Social Web" [Growing up with the Social Web], presentation of the eponymous study by U. Hasebrink and I. Paus-Hasebrink (University of Salzburg) at the conference of the Media Authority North Rhine-Westphalia in Düsseldorf in 24 April 2009.
"Kindheit und medialer Wandel" [Childhood and Medial Change], lecture by U. Hasebrink at the "Familienkanzel" of the Protestant Community St. Nikolai in Hamburg on 22 April 2009.
"Wenn ich nach Hause komme, gehe ich erst einmal ins Internet. Chancen und Risiken der Onlinenutzung als Herausforderungen für die Schule" [When I come Home, I check the Internet first. Opportunities and Risks of Online Use as Challenges for Schools], lecture by C. Lampert at the conference "Das Ende der Kreidezeit. Ne(x)t Generation learning" [The End of the Age of Chalk. Ne(x)t Generation Learning"] at the Landesinstitut für Lehrerbildung und Schulentwicklung (LI) in Hamburg on 17 May 2009.
"Orientierungen und Hilfestellungen im Umgang mit den Medien" [Orientation and Assistance in Dealing with Media], lecture by C. Lampert at the conference „Mitsurfen statt verbieten – Familien in der Welt der neuen Medien“ ["Join in Surfing instead of Prohibiting It – Families in the World of New Media] of the Catholic Academy and the NDR in Hamburg on 4 February 2009.
“EU Kids Online: Experiences from a European Research Network”, lecture by U. Hasebrink at the interdisciplinary European symposium „More Fun, More Risk? Digital Games as a Challenge for the Protection of Minors“ in Berlin on 17 October 2008.
"Was machen die anderen? Onlinenutzung von Kindern im europäischen Vergleich" [What Are the Others Doing? Online Usage by Children. A European Comparison], lecture by C. Lampert and U. Hasebrink at the conference "Mit der Welt vernetzt. Kinder und Jugendliche in virtuellen Erfahrungsräumen" [Linked-up with the World. Children and Adolescents in Virtual Realms of Experience] in Berlin on 9 and 10 October 2008.
“Andere Länder, andere Risiken? Was lässt sich aus europäischen Erfahrungen lernen? [Different Countries, Different Risks? What can be learned from the European Experience?], lecture by U. Hasebrink und C. Lampert in Hamburg on 9 July 2008.
“Gemeinsamkeiten identifizieren, Unterschiede erklären: Methodische Herausforderungen und empirischer Ertrag international vergleichender Forschung am Beispiel einer Untersuchung zur Onlinenutzung von Kindern und Jugendlichen in Europa” [Identifying Commonalities, Explaining Differences: Methodological Challenges and the Empirical Results with Internationally Comparative Research Using the Example of an Investigation into Online Use by Young People in Europe], lecture by U. Hasebrink at the symposium of the DGPuK in Lugano on 1 May 2008.
“EU Kids Online – Work Package 3: Comparative Findings”, lecture by U. Hasebrink at the Steering Committee meeting of the project's Austrian sector in Vienna on 25 September 2007.
“Chancen und Grenzen der Onlinenutzung von Kindern und Jugendlichen in Deutschland und Europa. Forschungsstand und Perspektiven” [Chances and Limits of Online Use by Children and Young People in Germany and Europe. Status of Research and Perspectives], lecture by C. Lampert and U. Hasebrink at the eponymous workshop for Experts in Hamburg on 21 September 2007.
“Faszinierend verführerisch. Medien in den Lebenswelten von Kindern” [Fascinatingly Seductive. Media in Children’s Life-Worlds”], lecture by C. Lampert and U. Hasebrink at the lecture series "Due Consideration – Humanities in Hamburg" on 23 April 2007.
„Growing up with the Internet in Europe. Concept of an International Study and Conceptual Challenges for Comparative Research“, lecture by U. Hasebrink at the conference of the specialist group in media pedagogy in the DGPuK in Salzburg on 20 October 2006 (with I. Paus-Hasebrink).
„Children and Internet in Germany“, lecture by C. Lampert at the conference of the DGPuK specialist group media pedagogy in Salzburg on 20 October 2006.
Contact person
Hans-Bredow-Institut
Dependance
Warburgstraße 8-10
D - 20354 Hamburg
Tel. +49 (0)40 45 02 17 - 92
Fax +49 (0)40 45 02 17 - 99
Funding
European Commission, State Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia, AOL, Microsoft Germany