Peer-reviewed article
Online Safety for All: Sociocultural Insights from a Systematic Review of Youth Online Safety in the Global South
Ozioma Collins Oguine, Oghenemaro Anuyah, Zainab Agha, Iris Melgarez, Adriana Alvarado Garcia et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This systematic review analyzed 66 studies on youth online safety in the Global South published between 2014 and 2024. The research found that studies were concentrated in Asian countries and relied heavily on quantitative methods, with limited attention to marginalized youth and a strong focus on cyberbullying as the primary risk. The authors emphasize that cultural context significantly shapes online safety experiences and call for more culturally sensitive, youth-centered research approaches tailored to the Global South.
Key points
- 66 youth online safety studies from the Global South were reviewed, spanning 2014-2024
- Research focus was concentrated in Asian countries with predominance of quantitative methods
- Limited research exists on marginalized youth populations in online safety contexts
- Cyberbullying was the primary risk focus across studies
- Cultural factors play a critical role in shaping online safety, requiring education integrated with social dynamics and awareness
Limitations
This is a systematic review of existing literature, not primary research, so it cannot provide direct evidence of what online safety interventions work. It does not evaluate specific interventions but rather identifies gaps and patterns in the existing research landscape.
Abstract
Youth online safety research in HCI has historically centered on perspectives from the Global North, often overlooking the unique particularities and cultural contexts of regions in the Global South. This paper presents a systematic review of 66 youth online safety studies published between 2014 and 2024, specifically focusing on regions in the Global South. Our findings reveal a concentrated research focus in Asian countries and predominance of quantitative methods. We also found limited research on marginalized youth populations and a primary focus on risks related to cyberbullying. Our analysis underscores the critical role of cultural factors in shaping online safety, highlighting the need for educational approaches that integrate social dynamics and awareness. We propose methodological recommendations and a future research agenda that encourages the adoption of situated, culturally sensitive methodologies and youth-centered approaches to researching youth online safety regions in the Global South. This paper advocates for greater inclusivity in youth online safety research, emphasizing the importance of addressing varied sociocultural contexts to better understand and meet the online safety needs of youth in the Global South.