Children’s digital rights with the context of parental mediation styles

The role of children’s age, gender, parents’ digital skills and parent-child communication – A scoping review

Bibliographic Data

ID24242632
AuthorsMeghmala Mukherjee (0009-0008-4745-425X, Anti-bullying Centre, Dublin City University, Ireland), Isabel Machado Da Silva (0000-0002-9654-9342, Anti-bullying Centre, Dublin City University, Ireland), Ashling Bourke (0000-0002-3997-895X, Anti-bullying Centre, Dublin City University, Ireland), James O’higgins Norman (0000-0003-0997-6942, Anti-bullying Centre, Dublin City University, Ireland)
Year2026
Publication date2026-10-23
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueGlobal Studies of Childhood (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2043-6106 • E-ISSN: 2043-6106
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/20436106261494337
OpenAlexW7223407832
LanguageEN
References cited85

The digital age has transformed childhood experiences, with children increasingly engaging with digital technologies- smartphones, social media and online platforms. This scoping review aims to explore the tension between parental digital mediation style and children’s rights in the digital space. It also explores the factors influencing mediation approaches, including parents’ digital skills, communication styles and children’s age and gender. The review is guided by Arksey and O’Malley’s five-stage framework, alongside PRISMA guidelines. This review analyses 53 studies sourced from ERIC, Scopus, Web of Science and PsycINFO. Only seven of these articles directly addressed children’s rights in the context of parental mediation, highlighting a critical research gap. Although the 3Ps framework positions protection, participation, and provision as interconnected dimensions of children’s digital rights, the selected studies reflect an imbalance in how these three dimensions have been explored. Findings also reveal that age appears to be a significant factor, with younger children experiencing more restrictive strategies, whereas older children are allowed more active mediation. Findings on gender roles were less consistent throughout the articles. Parents with higher digital skills are more likely to adopt active, enabling mediation approaches. The review underscores the importance of open communication, suggesting that parent-child interaction promotes active mediation over restrictive control. This study highlights the need to prioritise direct engagement with children, rather than privileging adult perspectives, to better understand children’s needs and rights in the digital space.

child age · child online safety · children's digital rights · children's digital technology use · gender differences · parent-child communication · Parental control · parental mediation · Child Development and Digital Technology · Children's Rights and Participation · Impact of Technology on Adolescents