Parental Mediation

The Internet allows children to create, access, play, learn, and share a wide variety of content. This ability to share is one of the main reasons of the Internet's success among this audience.

While the Internet offers countless opportunities, it also comes with risks, such as exposure to inappropriate content and issues related to security and privacy. It's natural to be concerned.

On the one hand, parents and guardians feel the need to know what their children are doing online. On the other, children and teenagers might view this as an invasion of privacy.

Like in every aspect of family relationships, finding a balance is essential. Luckily, there are various ways to approach and mediate the use of the Internet by children and teenagers.

One approach is "Parental Control." By configuring applications installed on a child’s device, their parents and guardians can monitor usage, set limits, and restrict access to certain online content. This can be useful for younger children who may not yet have the necessary judgement to use the Internet responsibly, though teenagers might view this as invasive.

Another approach is "Parental Mediation." Here, parents and guardians engage in active dialogue with their children about their online activities. 

Parents and guardians should not only establish rules for Internet use but also explain the reasons behind them. Otherwise, there is a risk that the rules may not be followed and that the children may be exposed to unnecessary risks.

Open communication, guidance, and discussion about what children and teenagers watch and do on the Internet is essential for helping them develop independence and learn how to use the Internet ethically, critically, responsibly, and safely.

More information:
1. https://internetsegura.br/pdf/guia-internet-segura-pais.pdf (Portuguese only)
2. https://internetsegura.br/pdf/internet_com_responsa.pdf (Portuguese only)

This topic won first-place at the Hackathon held during the 12th Internet Forum in Brazil, which took place in Natal (RN) - https://forumdainternet.cgi.br/2022/ (Portuguese only)
It was developed by Cup, Felipe Duarte, Karla Braga, Paulo Santarém, and Tayná Gomes.

Video Description

The video is an animation that starts with the text: "We don't always know what they see on the Internet." In the scene, a child is using a cellphone. Around him, dangerous symbols like message bubbles, viruses, and other online threats and situations that children and teenagers shouldn't be exposed to appear. These elements disappear, and the text "More important than controlling" appears. The screen is split in half. On the left, a parent takes the cellphone from the child's hands while the child protests and shows anger through emojis.

The text is completed with "is guiding" and the right half of the screen appears. Here, the parent is sitting with the child, who is still holding the cellphone. They are engaged in conversation and both are nodding affirmatively. Smiley emojis show that both are happy after the conversation.

In the final scene, the text "Teach children how to use the Internet with responsibility" appears. The child is shown using the cellphone with elements in the background related to healthy online activities like educational videos, communication, games, and research.