EU Kids Online  A thematic network examining European research on cultural, contextual and risk issues in children's safe use of the internet and new media  Funded by the EC Safer Internet plus Programme (2006-9)  Network of 21 research teams: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands, United Kingdom  Aims to compare recent and ongoing empirical research across Europe: –To identify and evaluate available data on children’s use of online technologies –To inform the research agenda, noting gaps in the evidence base –To compare findings across Europe, contextualising similarities and differences –To produce a best practice guide for methodological issues and challenges –To develop policy recommendations for awareness-raising and media literacy

New report: Cross cultural contexts of research  What are the national contextual factors that determine what research on children and the internet takes place? Why are different aspects of children’s online activities researched in different parts of Europe?  Based on an assessment of research availability and contexts of research in 21 European countries, this report identifies the specific contextual processes influencing the research agenda and research funding.  The full report, Cross-Cultural Contexts of Research: Factors Influencing the Study of Children and the Internet in Europe, edited by Gitte Stald and Leslie Haddon, and separate reports for each country, is at

Setting the research agenda  Research is instigated by diverse stakeholders for a range of reasons: the activities and interests of industry, media, public, academics, government and NGOs variously support empirical research on children and the internet.  Most countries strategically shape the research agenda through collaboration among universities, research councils, government ministries and, sometimes, industry; there is also scope for researchers to influence the research agenda.  A range of broad political factors shape national research. In some countries, the EC has set the agenda for research on children and the internet, with national governments slow to follow.  High profile risks experienced by individual children also stimulates research. Contact and conduct risks gain most research and public attention, though content risks receive much media coverage in some countries. Risks of online commercialisation (advertising, sponsorship, marketing) gain little attention.  Despite some attention to the UN Convention on Children’s Rights, certain benefits to children from the internet (e.g. opportunities for civic participation) are low on the research agenda (Germany and Norway lead the way here).

Factors shaping institutional research contexts  Across Europe, the number of universities in a country is correlated with population size but is less strongly correlated with the number of studies conducted on children and the internet; nonetheless, the size of the academic base is a fair predictor of the amount of research available in each country.  Most research conducted on children and the internet stems from the disciplines of psychology, education and sociology albeit with some national variation.  Most European countries conduct both qualitative and quantitative research in the field of childhood and media/internet studies, although the balance varies.  In most countries, research on the internet began in the early to mid-1990s, although it has been only begun more recently in some countries (e.g. Czech Republic, Cyprus, Belgium, Greece). Small research communities (Cyprus and Belgium) also tend to have less established research traditions here.  Although it is widely recognised that research on children’s use of the internet raises significant ethical issues, in many countries research institutions apply few if any regulations to the conduct of research in terms of ethical considerations.

Research funding issues  Public funding comes mainly from national governments, though the European Commission is also an important source of funding in all countries.  Commercial funding is widespread but sporadic, providing one or two studies in most countries but only substantial in the UK and Germany. Non-profit organisations provide some research funding. In a minority of countries, the regulator is a significant source of research funding.  In most countries, funding from research councils is modest or (in a third of countries) absent. In countries where external funding is sparse, doctoral and masters’ theses can be an important source of information.  There is no simple relation between funding source and type of study conducted. However, countries reliant on public funding generally have less available research. Since governments and industry are the main funders of research, they also fund most research on risk. Further, when charities, NGOs, regulators or the EC do fund research, they are much more likely to fund studies of risk than of issues (including positive benefits of internet use).

Media influence  In countries with higher use of the internet among children, media coverage plays a key role in focusing the research agenda on safety and awareness issues.  Overall, by far the majority of press coverage on children and the internet was concerned with risks rather than opportunities.  There are cross-national differences in the balance of media coverage of content, contact and conduct risks across European countries. This seems likely to sensitise the various national publics and, potentially, the national research communities and research funders to specific issues or priorities.  Some national teams reported specific cases in which academic research – in overall orientation and/or in terms of specific projects - was influenced (i.e. instigated partly in response to) by media coverage of online risks.  Happy slapping-stories, news stories of sexual risks and reports on cyber-bullying (presenting young people as both victims and perpetrators), were the media topics most identified as having influenced the national research.

Final conference, 11 June, LSE  An international one-day conference for researchers, policy makers, industry, educators, NGOs and government to address the policy issues and research findings about children and the internet. It will report It will also showcase the latest research in Europe and worldwide.  The EU Kids Online network will present key findings and recommendations from three year’s work by the network of 60 researchers in 21 countries funded by the EC Safer Internet plus Programme.  Keynote speakers include David Finkelhor (University of New Hampshire, USA), Lelia Green (Edith Cowan University, Australia), Charo Sádaba (University of Navarra, Spain), Richard Swetenham (Safer Internet Programme, EC).  Panellists/respondents include Tanya Byron (author of The Byron Review), Maria José Cantarino (Telefonica, Spain), Dieter Carstensen (Save the Children/eNACSO), Annie Mullins (Vodafone Group), Janice Richardson (Insafe and European Schoolnet), Agnieszka Wrzesień (Nobody′s Children Foundation, Poland).  For programme, registration, maps and info, see

Next steps for EU Kids Online  Report on Data Availability (Summer 2007)  Report on Cross-National Comparisons (Summer 2008)  Best Practice Research Guide (Summer 2008)  Report on Cross-Cultural Contexts of Research (Winter 2008)  Ongoing participation in research and policy events (IGF, Prague, etc)  Final Report and Policy Recommendations (Summer 2009)  Final conference in London, 11 June 2009 – all welcome!

Thank you Sonia Livingstone