Engl. transl.: Net Children Go Mobile: Risks and opportunities in the use of internet and mobile devices in Spain

This report is the Spanish version of the report "Net Children Go Mobile: risks and opportunities, 2014". It presents data from a survey of 500 Spanish child internet users aged 9-16 and their parents. Parents were asked about their use of the internet and mobile devices and their mediation strategies, as well as socio-demographic and socio-economic status (SES) questions. The fieldwork took place between April and June 2015.

The data presented in this report shows that there is growing awareness of online risks among parents and children. Results show important evidence such as the increasing involvement of parents in mediating children's online safety and security, and the development of safety skills or the adoption of preventive measures among children. It is also relevant that the exposure to online risks has increased compared to 2010, and more specifically among minors who make use of mobile devices. Garmendia et al. (2016: 100) remark that "more and more specific analysis is needed to determine which children among those using smartphones and tablets, are the most vulnerable". The authors clarify that it should not be assumed that the use of mobile devices per se, as a factor of vulnerability". In fact, Garmendia et al. (2016: 100) state that "the "more opportunities, more risks" maxim is a valid framework for understanding the changes related to smartphones and tablets, changes leading to a more ubiquitous and pervasive internet in children's everyday lives". As the percentage of children using the Internet from different mobile devices and in a wider variety of contexts, it is not surprising that exposure to online risks is also increasing. Garmendia et al. (2020: 101) do remark that "what is worth noting is that the proportion of those who have suffered harm as a result of risky experiences has not increased at the same rate." Bullying is the risk that causes the most harm to those who suffer it. Authors remark that in spite of a certain social and media discourse regarding the possibilities of social networks to amplify situations of abuse, there are still many more cases of bullying that take place face-to-face than those that take place online. Garmendia et al., (2016: 101) conclude that although Spanish children are more aware of the negative consequences associated with cyberbullying or other potentially conflictive situations, "it is still necessary to promote safer and more responsible use of mobile communication". Authors state that "schools, in particular, should play as active a role as possible, given that most of the interaction via social media is between peers and classmates. Findings show that certain inequalities in internet use among children persist according to their socio-cultural background, particularly in terms of parental mediation. Those children from the most disadvantaged families receive less parental mediation and mediation tools on both computers and mobile devices are less often used at home. Garmendia et al. (2016: 101) address that "initiatives that promote children's digital inclusion of children should continue to be a priority"