Safety vs. Surveillance - What Children Have to Say about Mobile Apps for Parental Control

Explore a conference talk that delves into children's perspectives on mobile apps designed for parental control. Analyze the findings of a qualitative study examining 736 reviews from children aged 8-19 on 37 mobile online safety apps. Discover how these apps impact parent-child relationships, privacy concerns, and overall effectiveness. Learn about the significant discrepancy between child and parent ratings, with 76% of child reviews giving single-star ratings. Gain insights into children's feelings of restriction and invasion of privacy, and understand the implications for future app design. Examine the balance between safety and surveillance in the context of adolescent online safety, technology in families, and privacy theories. Consider the research goals, methodology, and results presented, including themes such as invasion of privacy, alignment with good parenting, design flaws, and the control of unhealthy behaviors. Explore the implications for designing more effective and child-friendly online safety apps that balance protection with personal freedom.