Children and digital diversity: from unguided rookies' to self-reliant cybernauts'

• Autor(a) principal: Almeida, A. N. de
• Data de Publicação: 2012
• Outros Autores: Alves, N. D., Delicado, A., Carvalho, T.
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: https://ciencia.iscte-iul.pt/public/pub/id/2003; http://hdl.handle.net/10071/7096
• topic: Children; Digital diversity; Family; Internet uses; Parental mediation

This article discusses the heterogeneity in children's appropriation and use of the internet that make up contemporary digital divides. Based on a survey of Portuguese children in mandatory education (8- to 17-year-olds), it relies on multivariate statistical procedures to build a topological mapping of internet use patterns. Variations in digital practices and parental mediation are analysed in relation to social backgrounds and demographic traits. Four clusters of users were thus identified: 'self-reliant cybernauts', 'nurtured cybernauts', 'nurtured beginners' and 'unguided rookies'. This article aims to contribute to deepening the debate on digital divides and digital diversity within the sociology of childhood.