A study (N = 1,092) is presented that investigated the online practices of high school students that contribute to risk. The findings are expected to be of interest to those who must balance the educational benefits of the Internet with the use of safeguards that may inadvertently impede such benefits.
The educational benefits made possible by the Internet have created a dilemma for many. There is a strong movement behind encouraging online use, but this enthusiasm is weakened by apprehension regarding risks and exposure to online threats (Liau, Khoo, & Ang, 2005; Staksrud & Livingstone, 2009). Parents, for example, tend to be supportive of the educational potential of the Internet, but have concerns about their children’s safety (Staksrud & Livingstone, 2009). Regrettably, such apprehensions are not unfounded. Many empirically-based studies can be found reporting on the increasing pattern of harm targeted at young people (see Marcum, Ricketts, Higgens, 2010).
Numerous safety measures exist to help mitigate risk, ranging from government regulation to parental supervision. Though all no doubt helpful, these measures create a dilemma among those who must strike a balance between promoting the educational benefits of the Internet while implementing safeguards that may inadvertently impede such benefits (Staksrud & Livingstone, 2009). This is important because there is research that proposes correlations exist between online opportunities and exposure to risk. That is, increased online exposure adds to risk, but decreased risk reduces exposure to online opportunities (Livingstone & Helsper, 2010). Everything considered, attempts to address online threats by restricting access, irrespective of the method, have shown to be a challenge (Staksrud & Livingstone, 2009).
One of the most important methods of mitigating online risk is education (Valcke, de Wever, van Keer, & Schellens, 2011), empowering students, educators, and parents, through evidence-based practices (Staksrud & Livingstone, 2009). If cyber awareness-raising training and interventions are to be implemented effectively, however, research is needed to identify what technologies young people have access to; understand the degree to which they engage in risky online behavior; and understand how and why some young people are exposed to certain online threats (Staksrud & Livingstone, 2009). What’s more, given the changing landscape of technology and social media (Livingstone & Haddon, 2008), research of this kind must be ongoing, with findings published regularly.
Toward filling this void, we present the findings of a study (N = 1,092) which investigated the online practices of students aged 17 to 20 that contribute to risk. The study took place at four high schools in the area surrounding Seoul, South Korea. These were vocational track institutions focused on agriculture, technology/engineering, commerce/business, and home economics. In this presentation, we discuss participant technology ownership; online activity; amount of time spent online; and exposure to explicit and violent content, cyberbullying, malware, phishing, and identity theft, making comparisons to prevalence rates reported in the literature. In addition, we present relationships between their online actions and the aforementioned threats.
Findings discussed show prevalence rates consistent with those reported in the literature. Participants owned multiple devices, but favored mobile phones, which ranked the most popular. Social media, free online gaming, and the streaming of movies and/or television were the most common online activities. The majority of participants spent six or less hours per week online. Explicit material was the largest threat facing the participants, followed by violent content, cyberbullying, malware, phishing scams, and identity theft. The participants understood many of the cyber concepts examined, with a small percentage acknowledging not understanding malware, phishing, or identity theft. While finally, statistically significant relationships were found with regard to online activities that may lead to risk. Overall, participants showed poor judgment and a relaxed attitude toward their online safety, even though most understood the common terms and basic computer paradigms investigated. Exceptions were the more advanced topics examined, which a large percentage of participants conceded not understanding.
The findings presented provide a glimpse into the online behavior of young people and the consequences of their actions. Unlike similar investigations, this research is unique in that it not only identified what technologies young people have access to, but the degree to which youth engage in risky online behavior; the potential consequences of such behavior; and the extent to which youth are literate in cyber awareness practices.
Such findings are anticipated to be of value to policymakers, who are in the throes of enacting regulation to safeguard youth, and as a result, are interested in a causal view of young peoples’ online practices and associated risk outcomes; educators and practitioners, who are involved in the development and subsequent refinement of cyber awareness-raising training and interventions, and are seeking recommendations or best practices in safeguarding today’s youth; and researchers, who wish to view additional empirical data on what could be seen as the everyday, online behavior of young people.
References:
Liau, A. K., Khoo, A., & Ang, P. H. (2005). Factors influencing adolescent engagement in risky Internet behavior. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 8(6), 513-520. doi: 10.1089/cpb.2005.8.513.
Livingstone, S., & Haddon, L. (2008). Risky experiences for children online: Charting European research on children and the Internet. Children & Society, 22(4), 314-323. doi: 10.1111/j.1099-0860.2008.00157.x.
Livingstone, S., & Helsper, E. J. (2010). Balancing opportunities and risks in teenagers' use of the Internet: The role of online skills and Internet self-efficacy. New Media & Society, 12(2), 309-329. doi: 10.1177/1461444809342697.
Marcum, C. D., Ricketts, M. L., & Higgins, G. E. (2010). Assessing sex experiences of online victimization: An examination of adolescent online behaviors using Routine Activity Theory. Criminal Justice Review, 35(4), 412-437. doi: 10.1177/0734016809360331.
Staksrud, E., & Livingstone, S. (2009). Children and online risk: Powerless victims or resourceful participants? Information, Communication & Society, 12(3), 364-387.
Valcke, M., de Wever, B., van Keer, H., & Schellens, T. (2011). Long-term study of safe Internet use of young children. Computers & Education, 57(1), 1292-1305. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2011.01.010.