Ruhr-Uni-Bochum

Survey: How Children Interact with Technical Devices

Children often find it hard to detach from smartphones and tablets. A research team from Bochum aims to objectively assess their usage behavior.

Children using Media

Copyright: RUB, Kramer

Researchers from Ruhr University Bochum are seeking parents to participate in a study on how children and adolescents use smartphones, tablets, and similar devices. Participants must be at least 18 years old and have children between the ages of 8 and 20. Participation is possible online until June 2, 2024, at https://www.soscisurvey.de/eltern2024/.

Completing the questionnaire takes about 20 minutes. It includes questions about the child's device usage behavior, their awareness of device security, and data handling. The study is led by Professor Dr. Karola Marky and her team from the Chair of Digital Sovereignty at Ruhr-University Bochum.

"Our goal is to explore children's device usage behavior from the parents' perspective and gain an understanding of the IT security situation," says PhD student Rebecca Panskus. "Ultimately, we aim to empower parents and children to handle end devices and data during internet use in a self-determined and informed manner."

Press Contact
Rebecca Panskus
Chair for Digital Sovereignty
Faculty of Computer Science
Ruhr University Bochum
Tel: 0234 32 29586
Email: digisoul(at)rub.de

General note: In case of using gender-assigning attributes we include all those who consider themselves in this gender regardless of their own biological sex.