“Just Be Careful, Since Social Media Is Really Not as Safe as It’s Being Portrayed”: Adolescent Views on Adult Support for Safer Social Media Use

Abstract

Social media is an integral part of the lives of adolescents, but they are also closed arenas concealed from the next of kin and are resistant to parental mediation. Consequently, this study aims to investigate how adolescents reflect on the safe use of social media and the conversations they have with their parents. The present study used data from 8 focus group interviews with adolescents aged from 15 to 19 years in Norway. Data were analysed using systematic text condensation—an inductive thematic cross-case analysis. The results showed three themes: (1) next of kin encourage caution, (2) safety is created through mutual learning, and (3) adolescents expect parental mediation. The present study has important implications for policymakers, media educators, and education institutions and its findings will enable better preparation and targeting of curricula and education from basic to secondary schools on a national level.

Keywords

• adolescents
• parental mediation
• next of kin
• social media
• Norway
• a qualitative study