Ofcom’s study about the understanding levels of media among children

Ofcom’s study is based on the understanding levels of media among children aged 8-15. It covers aspects like children’s knowledge about the search engines, their confidence in access online and media contents. It also sees if children restrict access to their social networking accounts. They have considered and compiled the opinions about children about downloading contents, publishing personal information online and the different checks they make while entering new websites. Additionally, it evaluates the interests of children learning digital technology and their experience of learning the technology from school. Some of the questions were asked to children aged 8 -11 and all the questions were asked to children aged 12-15. Younger children were exempted from this session. Children of age groups 12-15 and 8 -11 can distinguish between the reliability of media and online contents.

45% of children aged 12-15s has made some significant judgement about search engines. They understood the trustworthiness of certain websites and the unreliability of certain other websites. 33% of the children believed that information listed in the websites is truthful. Almost 59% of the surveyed children admitted that they visited only the websites they have visited before. Majority of the children in all groups said that their social networking profile is open to just their friends, while 17% of children of age 8-11 and 28% of children of age 12-15s admitted that their profile is open to everyone. Girls are less likely to make their social networking profiles open to everyone than boys. Children like to share photos and their updates to their friends. Just a minority of them shared personal details like addresses.

Children’s understanding about television contents
The regulator questioned Children aged 8-11 and 12-15 about the different television programs they watched and their opinions about them. All the questions were directed towards the children’s understanding about various television shows and reality programs. They wanted to know if children accepted completely the contents showed in the television or applied any ‘critical understanding’ to sort out the information offered in the television programs. Children were also asked about the extent of reality in TV programmes, news programmes and documentary programmes.

Most of the children believed that documentary and news programmes showed a true picture of the real life. However, 44% admitted that the reality TV programs do not show a true picture of the real life. A good percentage of younger children aged 8-11 believed that reality shows offered a true picture of the real life, but the figure were less in children aged 12-15. Boys are more confused than girls regarding the truthfulness of the reality TV shows.

Children’s understanding about online contents
To know about the understanding level of children about the online contents, Ofcom carried out a survey. Children aged 8-15 who use internet participated in the survey that asked a range of questions like the websites they viewed, websites used for homework, news, social networking websites and the different blogs and sites. Children’s understanding about these websites was evaluated. 88% of children aged 12-15 and
83% of 8-11 believed that most of the information provided on the websites is true. This understanding level is almost the same regardless of gender, household socio-economic group. In 2010, 31% of children aged 12-15 believed that the information provided in the websites for school and home work are true and in 2011, the figure has increased to 42%.

22% of children aged 8-11 and 36% of children aged 12-15 visited websites that offered news and information about the world. 78% of children in 12-15 said that they relied on the information provided. The level of understanding regarding the new contents remained the same, regardless of gender and household socio-economic group. Compared to the websites used for homework and schoolwork, children believed that blogs or sites like Wikipedia where people are allowed to add or change information can be less trusted. 35% for 12-15 believed that information published in social networking websites is true while in children aged 8-11s the figure was just 33%.

Children’s Critical understanding of search engines
Most of the children who use search engines frequently don’t know how they operate. To determine the Children’s Critical understanding of search engines they were asked certain questions. Some hoped that the information displayed in the search engines are more or less true, while others believed that certain websites provided true information and some others didn’t. Among the surveyed, few said that they use the information of the websites because they appeared beautiful.

All these findings highlighted the different understanding levels of children about television shows and internet contents.