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United Kingdom Children Go Online, 2003-2005

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Title details

SN: 5475
Title: United Kingdom Children Go Online, 2003-2005
Alternative title: UK Children Go Online (UKCGO)
Persistent identifier: 10.5255/UKDA-SN-5475-1
Depositor(s): INDIVIDUAL
Principal investigator(s): Livingstone, S., London School of Economics and Political Science. Department of Media and Communications
Bober, M., London School of Economics and Political Science. Department of Media and Communications
Sponsor(s): Economic and Social Research Council
Grant number: RES-335-25-0008

Subject Categories

Literacy - Education
Information technology - Media, communication and language
Social attitudes and behaviour - Society and culture
Child development and child rearing - Social stratification and groupings
Youth - Social stratification and groupings

Abstract

This is a mixed methods data collection.

Many United Kingdom households, especially those with children, now have access to the internet although, importantly, some do not. The growing significance of the internet in our lives raises many questions for social scientists, policy makers and the public - about access and inequalities, the nature and quality of use, the implications for education, family life and social relationships and the balance between online risks and opportunities.

The research project United Kingdom Children Go Online (UKCGO) conducted a thorough investigation of 9-19 year olds' use of the internet between 2003 and 2005. Work was conducted with girls and boys of different ages and socio-economic backgrounds across the UK in order to ask how the internet may be transforming, or may itself be shaped by, family life, peer networks and education.

The research combined qualitative focus group and paired interviews and observations in schools and households with a national, in-home, Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) face-to-face survey of 1,511 children 9-19 years old, together with a self-completion questionnaire to 906 parents of the 9-17 years olds, exploring the nature and meaning of children's internet use and mapping emerging patterns of attitudes and practices across diverse contexts and social groups.

UKCGO balances an assessment of online risks and opportunities in order to contribute to developing academic debates and policy frameworks for children and young people's internet use by asking, amongst other things: how children and young people are accessing and using the internet; how families differ in their responses to the internet; what the internet means to them; and, most importantly whether some light can be shed on the consequences of widespread internet use.

The research design included three phases:
  • Phase 1: 14 focus groups conducted with 9-19 year olds around the UK, together with eight family visits and a children's online advisory panel
  • Phase 2: A national, in-home, 40-minute face-to-face survey of 1,511 9-19 year olds, together with a self-completion questionnaire to 906 parents of the 9-17 year olds
  • Phase 3: 13 focus group/paired-depth interviews, together with children's online panel
Further information and reports relating to the project can be found at the UKCGO web site United Kingdom Children Go Online

Related study European Union Kids Online: Enhancing Knowledge Regarding European Children's Use, Risk and Safety Online, 2010 is also held at the UK Data Archive under study number 6885. The project aimed to enhance the knowledge base regarding children's and parents' experiences and practices of risk and safety in their use of the internet and new online technologies in Europe covering 25 EU countries.
Main Topics:
Specific topics focused on were: access, inequalities and the digital divide; undesirable forms of content and contact; education, informal learning and literacy; communication, identity and participation; parental regulation of media use, literacy risks, and opportunities of internet use.

Coverage, universe, methodology

Time period: 01 January 2003 - 01 January 2005
Dates of fieldwork: Phase I: summer 2003; phase II: January to March 2004; Phase III: autumn 2004
Country: United Kingdom
Spatial units: Enumeration Districts
Standard Statistical Regions
Observation units: Individuals
Families and households
Groups
Kind of data: Textual
Numeric
Universe: National
Young people between 9 and 19 years old and their parents in the United Kingdom between 2003 and 2005
Time dimensions: Cross-sectional (one-time) study
Sampling procedures: Multi-stage stratified random sample
Number of units: Qualitative: focus groups 27; semi-structured family visit interviews 13; online panel chat logs 11. Quantitative: 1,511
Method of data collection: Face-to-face interview; Self-completion; Observation; Focus group
Online panel
Weighting: Weighting used. See documentation for details (quantitative data)

Keywords

ABILITYACCESS TO INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGYADOLESCENTS
ADVICEAGEATTITUDES
BROADBANDCHAT ROOMSCHILD SAFETY
CHILDRENCOMMUNICATIONCOMPUTER LITERACY
COMPUTER SECURITYCOMPUTERSDEMONSTRATIONS (PROTESTS)
ECONOMIC ACTIVITYEDUCATIONAL RULESELECTRONIC GAMES
ELECTRONIC MAILETHNIC GROUPSEVALUATION
FAMILIESFRIENDSGENDER
HOMEWORKILLEGAL DRUGSINSTANT MESSAGING
INTERNETINTERNET ACCESSINTERNET ADVERTISING
INTERNET USEINTERNET USE BY CHILDRENLIFE SATISFACTION
MEDIA LITERACYMOBILE COMMUNICATIONONLINE SHOPPING
OPTIMISMPARENTAL CENSORSHIPPARENTAL SUPERVISION
PERCEPTIONPERSONAL IDENTITYPOLITICAL AWARENESS
PORNOGRAPHYREGULATIONSRISK
SAFETY AND SECURITYSEARCH ENGINESSELF-ESTEEM
STUDY METHODSTELEPHONE CALLSTIME
TRUSTUNITED KINGDOMVOTING
WEBSITESYOUTH

Administrative and access information

Date of release:
First edition: 17 November 2006
Copyright: Copyright S. Livingstone
Access conditions: The depositor has specified that registration is required and standard conditions of use apply. The depositor may be informed about usage. See terms and conditions of access for further information.
Availability: UK Data Service
Contact: Get in touch

Documentation

TitleFile NameSize (KB)
Composite Variables codebook_essex.xls 38
Data Listing q5475ulist.xls 45
User Guide q5475uguide.pdf 4862
Data Listing q5475ulist.pdf 26
Study information and citation UKDA_Study_5475_Information.htm 21
READ File read5475.htm 3

Related studies:

EU Kids Online: Enhancing Knowledge Regarding European Children's Use, Risk and Safety Online, 2010 (SN 6885)

Related support guides:

ESDS Qualidata teaching resource: exploring non-interview methods

Publications

Please note, the inclusion of publications in this tab is temporary. Publications and outputs will be searchable using the publications filter in the near future.

By principal investigator(s):
Livingstone, S. (2003) 'Children's use of the internet: reflections on the emerging research agenda', New Media and Society, 5(2), pp.147-166. Also available on the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) eprints web pages at http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/415/

Livingstone, S., and Bober, M. (2003) UK children go online: listening to young people's experiences, LSE Report, launched 16 October. Available at the UK Children Go Online web site and the LSE eprints web pages at http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/388/

Livingstone, S., and Bober, M. (2004) UK children go online: surveying the experiences of young people and their parents, LSE Report, launched 21 July. Available at the UK Children Go Online web site and the LSE eprints web pages at http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/395/

Livingstone, S., Bober, M., and Helsper, E.J. (2004) Active participation or just more information? Young people's take up of opportunities to act and interact on the internet, LSE Report, launched 22 October. Available at the UK Children Go Online web site and the LSE eprints web pages at http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/396/

Livingstone, S. (2004) 'Media literacy and the challenge of new information and communication technologies' Communication Review, 7, pp.3-14. Also available on the LSE eprints web pages at http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/1017/

Livingstone, S. (2004) 'The challenge of changing audiences: or, what is the audience researcher to do in the internet age?' European Journal of Communication, 19(1), pp.75-86. Also available on the LSE eprints web pages at http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/412/

Livingstone, S., and Bober, M. (2004) 'Taking up opportunities? Children's uses of the internet for education, communication and participation', E-Learning, 1(3), pp.395-419. Also available at the E-Learning journal web site and on the LSE eprints web pages at and http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/418/

Livingstone, S. (2005) 'Mediating the public/private boundary at home: children's use of the internet for privacy and participation', Journal of Media Practice, 6(1), pp.41-51. Also available on the LSE eprints web pages at http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/506/

Livingstone, S., Bober, M., and Helsper, E. J. (2005) 'Active participation or just more information? Young people's take up of opportunities to act and interact on the internet', Information, Communication and Society, 8(3), pp.287-314.

Livingstone, S., and Bober, M. (2005) 'Selected data tables from 'UK Children Go Online'', Social Trends 2005, London: Office for National Statistics.

Livingstone, S., Bober, M., and Helsper, E.J. (2005) Internet literacy among children and young people, LSE Report, launched February. Available at the UK Children Go Online web site and the LSE eprints web pages at http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/397/

Livingstone, S. and Bober, M. (2005) UK children go online: final report of key project findings, London: LSE Research Online. Available on the LSE eprints web pages at http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/399/
Livingstone, S. (2006) 'Drawing conclusions from new media research: reflections and puzzles regarding children's experience of the internet', The Information Society, 22(4), pp.219-230. Also available on the LSE eprints web pages at http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/1015/

Livingstone, S. (2007) 'Strategies of parental regulation in the media-rich home', Computers in Human Behavior, 23(3), pp.920-941. Also available on the LSE eprints web pages at http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/1019/

Livingstone, S. (2007) 'Do the media harm children? Reflections on new approaches to an old problem', Journal of Children and Media, 1(1), pp.5-14. Also available on the LSE eprints web pages at http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/1023/

Livingstone, S. (2007) 'The challenge of engaging youth online: contrasting producers' and teenagers' interpretations of websites', European Journal of Communication, 22(2), pp.165-184.

Livingstone, S. (2003) 'Mediated childhoods: a comparative approach to the lifeworld of young people in a changing media environment', (reproduced from article in European Journal of Communication, 13(4), op cit.) In J. Turow and A. L. Kavanaugh (eds.), The wired homestead: an MIT sourcebook on the internet and the family, Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press, pp.207-226.

Livingstone, S. (2004) 'Internetkompetenz - Entwicklung und Grundzge: Beobachtungen der Internetnutzung bei Kindern', in J. Lauffer (ed.), In 8 Sekunden um die Welt: Kinger, Jugendliche, Familien - Internetnutzung im europischen und internationalen Kontext ((In 8 seconds around the world: children, youngsters, families - internet use in European and international context), Bielefeld: AJZ-Druck und Verlag, pp.100-118.

Livingstone, S. (2005) 'Critical debates in internet studies: reflections on an emerging field', in J. Curran and M. Gurevitch (eds.), Mass Media and Society, 5th edition, London: Sage, pp.9-28.

Livingstone, S. (2005) 'Media literacy - challenges ahead', in Implementing media Literacy - empowerment, participation and responsibility, London: Westminster Forum Seminar Series.

Livingstone, S., Bober, M., and Helsper, E.J. (2005) Inequalities and the digital divide in children and young people's internet use, LSE Report, launched April. Available at the UK Children Go Online web site and the LSE eprints web pages at http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/398/
Lievrouw, L., and Livingstone, S. (2006) 'Introduction to the updated student edition', in L. Lievrouw, L. and S. Livingstone (eds.), Handbook of new media: social shaping and social consequences, fully revised student edition, London: Sage, pp.1-14.

Press, A., and Livingstone, S. (2006) 'Taking audience research into the age of new media: old problems and new challenges', in M. White and J. Schwoch (eds.), The question of method in cultural studies, Oxford: Blackwell, pp.175-200. Also available on the LSE eprints web pages at http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/1020/

Livingstone, S. (2006) 'Children's privacy online', in R. Kraut, M. Brynin, and S. Kiesler (eds.), Computers, phones, and the internet: domesticating information technologies, New York: Oxford University Press. pp.145-167.

Livingstone, S., and Bober, M. (2006) 'Regulating the internet at home: contrasting the perspectives of children and parents', in D. Buckingham and R. Willett (eds.), Digital Generations, Mahwah, N.J.: Erlbaum, pp.93-113. Also available on the LSE eprints web pages at http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/1016/

Livingstone, S., and Millwood Hargrave, A. (2006) 'Harmful to children? Drawing conclusions from empirical research on media effects', in U. Carlsson (ed.), Regulation, awareness, empowerment: young people and harmful media content in the digital age, Goteborg: Nordicom/Unesco, pp.21-48. Also Also available on the LSE eprints web pages at http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/1013/

Livingstone, S., and Millwood Hargrave, A. (2006) 'Harmful to children? Drawing conclusions from empirical research on media effects', in U. Carlsson and C. von Feilitzen (eds.), In the service of young people? Studies and reflections on media in the digital age, Goteborg: Nordicom/Unesco, pp.49-76.

Livingstone, S. (2006) 'Opportunities and constraints framing children and young people's internet use', in M. Consalvo et al. (ed.), Internet Research Annual, 4, pp.59-75, New York: Peter Lang.

Livingstone, S. (2007) 'From family television to bedroom culture: Young people's media at home', in E. Devereux (ed.), Media studies: key issues and debates, London: Sage, pp.302-321.

Livingstone, S. (2007) 'Youthful experts? A critical appraisal of children's emerging internet literacy', in R. Mansell et al. (eds) Oxford handbook on ICTs, Oxford: Oxford University Press,pp. 494-513.

Livingstone, S., and Bober, M. (2007) 'UK children go online: a child-centred approach to the experience of using the internet', in B. Anderson, M. Brynin and Y. Raban (eds.) e-Living: life in a digital Europe, pp.104-118. Also available on the LSE eprints web pages at http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/1021/

Livingstone, S. (2007) Contribution to main text, and author of Appendix A, of the Home Office Task Force on Child Protection on the Internet's Good Practice Guidance for Social Networking and User Interactive Services, London: Home Office.

Livingstone, S. (2007) 'Mapping the possibilities for beneficial online resources for children: issues of trust, risk and media literacy', Working paper for the EU Expert Conference on Media Policy, More trust in content: the potential of co- and self-regulation in digital media', Leipzig, May.

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