Parent's use of strategies to monitor children's activities online
Date
2017
Authors
Maserumule, Ngwanadira Tebogo
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Abstract
Although studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of different types of filtering software,
limited knowledge is available on parents’ use of strategies to monitor their children’s activities
online. Thus, identifying understanding parents’ use of strategies to monitor children’s activities
online and the extent in which parents use content filtering software will contribute to the body of
knowledge. The purpose of this study is to understand parent’s use of strategies to monitor
children’s activities online and the extent in which they use content filtering software in Gauteng
Province, South Africa. The study adopted a Social Cognitive Theory to develop a conceptual
framework and identify existing theoretical concepts. The conceptual framework adapted
Bandura’s (2001) framework to inform data analysis.
Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and qualitative, thematic content analysis
was used for data analyses. The results of the study indicated that parents do use various
strategies to monitor children’s activities online and further apply knowledge, experience, and
social support as a rationale for using those strategies. The study further revealed that there is a
gap between parents, technology industry and government regarding the use of content filtering
software. Thus, the study recommends parents, industry and government work together to
protecting children online through various strategies and address the concerns regarding the use
of content filtering software. Parents’ need to understand the importance of content filtering
software and discuss this with their children to be able to protect them online without restricting
access to relevant information.
Keywords: Harmful content, blocking, strategies, filtering, online content, software, use,
non-use, strategies
Description
Thesis (M.Com. (Information Systems))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, School of Economic and Business Sciences, 2017
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Citation
Maserumule, Ngwanadira Tebogo (2017) Parent's use of strategies to monitor children's activities online, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, <https://hdl.handle.net/10539/24336>