Media Perception of Young People

Children's Media Perception

Adolescents and young children spend a lot of time on media platforms - watching TV/ videos, playing games, using social media (FB, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok,..), browsing websites, video-chatting, e-reading or creating content. According to the Common Sense Census report (2019), American kids use screen media more than 7 hours a day. Most of the screen use is devoted to watching TV or videos, gaming, and using social media. Smartphone ownership has expanded substantially over the years. More than 80% of young children have their own smartphone, almost 50% their own laptop.

There is a wide range of activities young people can engage in. It is therefore important to distinguish what the content is and how children in this age group perceive it. It's necessary to be aware how media use influence their:

Wellbeing and mental health
Self-image
Opinion formation
Academic outcomes

There is a growing debate about the effect of digital media (and especially social media) on the mental health of children and adolescents. Although it is difficult to prove a direct link between media use and for example depression, researchers agree that prolonged use of social media platforms may be related to negative signs and symptoms of anxiety and stress. However, it is important to keep in mind that screen time is not the whole story. Each type of media/content can be perceived differently and affect us differently. The media, on the other hand, can be used as a tool to strengthen one's mental health and to seek information, help or support. It is therefore important to know where you can find good resources and how to support parents to be able to provide important and verified information to their children.

Learn More

Read the transcript or watch the video Different Types of Media and focus on the pros and cons.

For more information on screen time and media devices used by children in this age group read the document The Common Sense Census (2019) - screen time (pp.23-25) + Media devices in general (27-28). If you want to go deeper, you can read the section Key findings (pp. 3-10) and sum up the key points for this age group. On pages 13-16 you will find detailed statistics on how children in this age group spend their time using media. On pages 17-18 you can see a comparison of the 8-12 and 13-18 age groups - how their media use differs. Keep in mind that this is a survey of American children.

Watch short videos How Teens Use Social Media, A Day in Teens' Digital Lives and Teen Voices: Friendships and Boundaries. Summarise how children in this age group use media and what platforms they use most often. Reflect on how teens' relationships can be affected by digital technology. Are there any differences in how girls and boys use/perceive media? For more information on this topic watch the TEDx video How the media affects youth that focuses on gender roles in media content.

Read the article Teens’ Social Media Habits and Experiences. Point out how young people perceive social media and sum up its positive and negative effects. If you want to go deeper, you can read the whole report (in the document section) - you can find information on different topics, e.g. how teens share on social media, gender and age differences and media affects friendships.

Watch the video How social media influences the mental & behavioral health of children age 13 to 17 and sum up the positive and negative effects of using media by children in this age group.

To get an overview of (in)appropriate media content (and its' possible division and labeling) read the article Age-Appropriate Media: Can You Trust Parental Guidance Ratings? Be mindful that the categorization of different age limits can vary across nations and cultures. Search for the usual categories specific to your country regarding the age limits on games, social media, films, and series.

Explore website www.commonsensemedia.org (link section) where you can find reviews of books, movies, TV shows, video games, apps, music and websites suitable for children in this age group. Check Youtube channel Common Sense Media Ratings & Reviews (link section) where you can find video reviews. Find other support services that are available in your local language.

Exercise

Read the article How Using Social Media Affects Teenagers and answer related questions:

How is socialising online different?
How does social media affect self-esteem?
How can parents help?

Read the document Encouraging a questioning attitude. For each section of questions (Youtube channel/ instagram account, celebrity, political meme and advertising), choose one specific example and try to answer these questions.

Than based on the material recommended in this course prepare the following:

Summarize both risks and opportunities of online activities
Define criteria for suitable media for children at this age (focus on the difference between the youngest and oldest children in this age group)

Go to the website www.commonsensemedia.org and give a specific example of suitable media for children at this age group in each category (try and choose especially media that are also available in your native language)

What you learn in this course

name different types of media and correctly assign media to media types
describe this age group's perception of media and correctly assign this perception to media types
explain criteria of overstraining media experiences and classify media experiences accordingly
name the advantages of media education for this age group
formulate recommendations for age-appropriate media experiences at parents' evenings. They can independently select support services according to the media experiences described by the parents
name criteria for age-appropriate media for this age group and classify media accordingly.
name national control instruments for media content

Get ready: Tips for MediaParent consultants

Although we often hear about negative effects associated with media use, be sure to remind parents that it is also a useful and good tool that provides many opportunities for young people.

For all articles, texts and materials, keep in mind the specifics of this age group and the range of this age group, where children who are 13 years old are at a different developmental level than children who are 18 years old. Children's needs change rapidly, adolescence is a period of great social and emotional changes and the relationship with parents and their authority is changing as well. So always keep your target group of parents in mind when planning your parents evening.

Find nationally specific sources focused on the legislation regarding media content appropriate for children and tell parents how they can find out more about the topic. There might be different legislative documents regarding broadcasted and online media. Focus on how old children can register on different digital platforms and social networks. For more information about children in this age group and social media you can study our courses Social Media and Instant Messaging.

Perhaps there will also be differences between state-owned media and private ones. For example in the Czech republic parents can read about this topic on the website www.deti-a-media.cz in the section “Ochrana dětí zákonem” (en. Law Protection of Children). You can find national-specific support services both for future media consultants and for parents interested in the topic of media literacy. For future Czech media consultants, we recommend the website Jeden svět na školách www.jsns.cz and their Media education section. Although they focus primarily on educators of children, some of these materials can be implemented by caregivers directly at home and can thus help parents cover specific topics that they might want to explain to their child.