Adolescents' privacy on social network sites: an investigation of predictors of privacy protection behavior

C

Social network profiles as information sources for adolescents' offline relations

This paper presents the results of a study concerning the use of online profile pages by adolescents to know more about “offline” friends and acquaintances. Previous research has indicated that social networking sites (SNSs) are used to gather information on new online contacts. However, several studies have demonstrated a substantial overlap between offline and online social networks. Hence, we question whether online connections are meaningful in gathering information on offline friends and acquaintances. First, the results indicate that a combination of passive uncertainty reduction (monitoring a target’s profile) and interactive uncertainty reduction (communication through the target’s profile) explains a considerable amount of variance in the level of uncertainty about both friends and acquaintances. More specifically, adolescents generally get to know much more about their acquaintances. Second, the results of online uncertainty reduction positively affect the degree of self-disclosure, which is imperative in building a solid friend relation. Furthermore, we find that uncertainty reduction strategies positively mediate the effect of social anxiety on the level of certainty about friends. This implies that socially anxious teenagers benefit from SNSs by getting the conditions right to build a more solid relation with their friends. Hence, we conclude that SNSs play a substantial role in today’s adolescents’ everyday interpersonal communication

The development of a conceptual framework of social media literacy

Social media have become increasingly popular because of the combination of both technological developments and social change. However, there are manifest differences in the ways people use social media as well as in the level of their competence. Differences in the skills to master technology and in the use of social media may result in new types of digital inequality. In order to overcome these inequalities, an extensive body of initiatives must deal with enhancing people’s level of social media literacy. Unfortunately, due to difficulties in adequately measuring media literacy, the effectiveness of these efforts has not yet been fully determined. Hence, the main objective of our research is measuring social media literacy. In order to do so we first need to be able to accurately define social media literacy and understand how it can be conceptualized. Based on an extensive literature review, this paper presents a conceptual framework for social media literacy and discusses its main building blocks. The proposed conceptual model posits that an accurate understanding of social media literacy requires more insight into people’s access to social media applications, knowledge, skills, self-efficacy, attitudes and actual media use

De impact van ouderschapsstijlen op de ontwikkeling van sociale mediageletterdheid bij adolescenten

While a lot of research on social media tends to focus on either the benefits or risks of social media for adolescents, scholars have paid less attention to how adolescents actually use these media. In this paper, we focus on the impact of parenting styles on the development of adolescents' social media literacy concerning the use of Facebook. Our research consists of a large-scale survey with a sample of 1,319 adolescents and 27 in-depth interviews. We use the perceived parenting styles to investigate adolescents' use of social media in general and their use of Facebook in particular. When looking at levels of social media literacy concerning Facebook, we find significant differences between teenagers who encounter authoritative or permissive parenting styles; adolescents whose parents adopt an authoritative style score better on items related to critical skills, while respondents with permissive parents have more freedom in their use of Facebook and score better on technical competencies.In deze paper gaan wij dieper in op de impact van ouders op de ontwikkeling van ‘sociale mediageletterdheid’ van adolescenten. Dit onderzoek is gebaseerd op een grootschalige survey (N= 1319) in combinatie met 27 diepte-interviews. Als we de verschillende niveaus van sociale mediageletterdheid van jongeren bekijken, constateren we significante verschillen. Deze verschillen worden verder geduid aan de hand van diepte-interviews

Media Literacy Policy in Flanders – Belgium: From Parliamentary Discussions to Public Policy

The discussion on media literacy in Flanders starts in the Flemish Parliament in 2006. It will take until 2013 before the Flemish Government will set up the Knowledge Center for Media Literacy—Mediawijs. Flanders is therefore rather late in establishing a dedicated institute for media literacy. The same can be said for developing a formal policy framework in relation to media literacy. This article starts with a theoretical discussion of three major trends in the current media literacy debate. The article moves on to describe and analyze Flanders media literacy policy debates and policy formulation. It highlights the development and remit of the Knowledge Center for Media Literacy and discusses the innovative role of the public service broadcaster in relation to media literacy. It ends with a reflection of how Flanders media literacy policy can be situated within the theoretical discussion