Peer-reviewed article
Child Online Safety and Parental Intervention: A Study of Zimbabwean Internet Users
Maxwell Sandada, Gift Kalisto Machengete, Rumbidzai Panavanhu, Lameck Chinodya, Makawonesu Mandipezano ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examines how parents and teachers in Zimbabwe help children stay safe online. Researchers interviewed 2,780 children aged 8 to 18 across all ten provinces using questionnaires. The study found that children receive more help and guidance from parents than teachers on online safety issues, including identifying safe websites and managing online behaviour. The findings highlight parents' central role in protecting children's digital safety and inform the development of educational programs for families and schools.
Key points
- Children are more likely to receive online safety help from parents than teachers
- Parental help includes explaining good versus bad websites, suggesting safe internet use, and guiding online behaviour
- The study covered 2,780 children aged 8 to 18 across all ten provinces in Zimbabwe (55% girls, 45% boys)
- Data was collected through questionnaires using descriptive and inferential statistics
- Findings will inform educational programs and policies to empower parents and teachers in creating safe digital environments
Limitations
The study does not evaluate the effectiveness of parental or teacher interventions in actually reducing online harms or improving child safety outcomes. It only measures who children report receiving help from, not whether that help is effective or what specific outcomes result from different types of intervention.
Abstract
Objectives: Ensuring child online safety is a shared responsibility among parents, children, and educators. This article underscores the collaborative nature of the solution, exploring how parents and teachers can intervene in children’s online safety to ensure responsible digital citizenship among children. Prior work: Despite extensive research (Wright, 2011; Tapscott, 2009), there remains a gap in understanding the effectiveness of parental and teacher involvement across different contexts, particularly in Zimbabwe. Approach: A quantitative research approach was adopted. Two thousand seven hundred eighty children aged 8 to 18 were interviewed, constituting 55% girls and 45% boys across all ten provinces in Zimbabwe. Data was collected using questionnaires. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse data. Results: The main finding from the study was that children are more likely to receive help from parents than teachers when faced with online difficulties, explaining good versus bad websites, suggesting safe internet use, guiding online behaviour, and dealing with past online issues. Implications: The results underscore the important role parents play in ensuring children’s online safety in internet use. Value: The findings of this study will be used to develop educational programs and policies that will empower parents and teachers to create a safe digital environment for the younger generation.