A new report from the Cooney Center sheds some light on the question of how children are using social networking websites, and acknowledges that there are significant gaps in that knowledge base. Of great importance to PlayWell clients, the report calls for more information about what designers need to be aware of when building social networking sites for children, and how they choose to move through the regulatory and self-regulatory space. As the authors noted, “commercial companies and educational non-profits alike are eager to provide new spaces for such participation, even though that means navigating some tricky regulatory requirements, not to mention shifting public opinion.”
The report also calls for more research to better understand what sites are used by children and why, how the experiences influence social, cognitive and creative development and how parents are invested in negotiating their children’s site usage. Read more…