Digital divides and children in Europe

Abstract

This chapter provides up to date findings on the nature, extent and sources of inequality in children s internet access and use across Europe, explaining these where possible and concluding with the key question, how much and what kind of continuing divides really matter and for whom? In the first section, the chapter opens the discussion by presenting briefly how research literature reports on digital divides over the last two decades in terms of nature, extent and aspects of prominence. The second section extends the opening discussion of digital divides and presents literature which explores emerging aspects of divides and mediating factors shaping the ways in which children engage with ICTs. The aim is to decipher conceptualizations of childhood in terms of digital rights, empowerment and learning expectations. This literature-grounded discussion is coupled with a review of how research over the last decade approaches digital divides among children and what aspects of divides have been researched most in Europe. Then, the third section analyses and discusses the latest empirical data available in Europe, aiming to take into consideration the above developments in the conceptualization and research of digital divides and to conclude about the extent and nature of digital divides that children face in Europe today. The focus of this discussion of research findings in Europe is on the sources of divides (e.g. socio-economics), as well as on the nature and extent (i.e. geographic divisions and adults vs children) of the phenomenon in Europe. The chapter concludes by answering the question: how much and what kinds of continuing divides really matter and for whom? , reflecting back on what we know already from literature on the extent and significance of digital divides. The contribution of the chapter lies in the provision of up to data about the actual picture of digital divides among children in Europe today, while linking this to how research and literature in the field have evolved.

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