Study Compares Online Experiences of Brazilian and European Children and Adolescents

Brazilian children navigate without adult guidance

More than two-thirds of Brazilian children and adolescents who use the Internet believe they know more about the Internet than their parents or guardians. More than half (53%) live in families where the adults responsible for them are not Internet users. The contrast is striking when compared to European children and adolescents — only 28% to 46% (depending on social class) claim they know more about the Internet than their parents.

These are some of the findings published last Monday (25th) by EU Kids Online, a research project coordinated by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

The report uses data from the first comprehensive Survey on online experiences of children and adolescents in Brazil, the TIC Kids Online Brazil 2012, conducted by the Brazilian Center for Studies on Information and Communication Technology (CETIC.br), and from the European network's EU Kids Online survey of 2010. The report's objective was to compare the online experiences of European and Brazilian children and adolescents.

The researchers found that children and adolescents in Brazil and Europe exhibit many similar online usage patterns and activities. Both surveys point to home and school as the primary locations for Internet access: in Brazil, 60% access from home and 42% from school, while in Europe, 87% access from home and 63% from school.

Social networks are more appealing to Brazilian children, being the second-largest justification for Internet use, compared to children in Europe who indicate games as their second favorite activity.

Both groups also express similar concerns about online risks: the two most reported experiences, pornography and aggressive or violent content, were mentioned by one in every five children surveyed in Brazil and Europe. The second most concerning issue regarding Internet use reported by Brazilian children (10%) is related to peer behavior, while 'scary content' was the second greatest concern reported by European children (8%).

The analysis also highlights areas of contrast. Brazilian children access the Internet more from public places, such as cybercafés (35% in Brazil, compared to 12% in Europe), possibly without guidance. However, access from public libraries is much more popular in Europe (12%) than in Brazil (4%).

Professor Sonia Livingstone, director of EU Kids Online, Department of Media and Communication at the LSE, states that "Internet access is spreading rapidly in Brazil and many children use the network in public places. More than half of online activities occur without supervision, which is why Europe has led many safety initiatives in recent years, and we hope some of them can be of value in Brazil as well."

Alexandre Barbosa, co-author of the report and manager of CETIC.br, declared that "in a country marked by social and economic inequalities, with a large population of young people who are increasingly accessing the Internet, it is crucial to promote awareness initiatives about safe Internet use. The newly published TIC Kids Online Brazil Survey is an important data source for the formulation of public policies and will certainly contribute to promoting the debate on issues such as digital rights, freedom of expression, and privacy."

Methodology

The TIC Kids Online Brazil Survey aims to understand the Internet experiences of users aged 9 to 16, and the parent or legal guardian most informed about these users' Internet habits.

The sampling for the TIC Kids Online Brazil Survey initially consisted of up to 2,500 children and adolescents and their respective parents or legal guardians. The responses were only considered valid if both the child and the parent or legal guardian were interviewed in a selected home. By the end of data collection, 1,580 interviews had been conducted with the children and also with their parents or legal guardians.

To access the comparative analysis data between the TIC Kids Online Brazil 2012 Survey and the EU Kids Online, visit bit.ly/1aULlfz.

To obtain a copy of the report, contact the LSE Press Office via email at pressoffice@lse.ac.uk.

About CETIC.br
The Brazilian Center for Studies on Information and Communication Technology (CETIC.br) is responsible for producing indicators and statistics on the availability and use of the Internet in Brazil, disseminating periodic analyses and information on network development in the country. More information at https://www.cetic.br/.

About the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee – CGI.br
The Brazilian Internet Steering Committee, responsible for establishing strategic guidelines related to the use and development of the Internet in Brazil, coordinates and integrates all Internet service initiatives in the country, promoting technical quality, innovation, and dissemination of services offered. Based on the principles of multistakeholderism, transparency, and democracy, CGI.br represents a multisectoral Internet governance model with effective participation from all society sectors in its decisions. One of its formulations is the 10 Principles for Internet Governance and Use (https://www.cgi.br/principios). More information at https://www.cgi.br/.

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