Harmonizing Freedom and Protection: Adolescents’ Voices on Automatic Monitoring of Social Networking Sites

• In Event: ICA Plenary Interactive Paper/Poster Session II
  In Interactive Paper Session: Communication and Technology Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

Automatic monitoring of transgressive user-generated content is a method to detect certain risks for adolescents on SNS by means of automatic text and image categorization techniques. Research on this monitoring method is focused on technological development, however insight into adolescents’ opinions regarding the desirability is needed. In this study, fourteen focus groups were conducted with adolescents (N=66) between 12 and 18 years old.
Adolescents’ opinions reflect the contention between a need for protection online versus the preservation of their freedom. Whether monitoring is desired depends on the level of control of the situation and the incorporation of certain requirements, indicated by adolescents. The majority of adolescents is in favour of automatic monitoring of content they perceive as uncontrollable. The automatic monitoring is favoured but measures must be incorporated to harmonize protection with freedom of expression and control.

Authors

• Kathleen Van Royen, University of Antwerp

• Karolien Poels, U of Antwerp