Parental Mediation of Internet Use from a Gender Perspective

The aim of this research was to know parents’ perceptions of their children’s use of Internet, and the mediation strategies they used to promote the benefits and avoid the risks of online activity. This is a descriptive study based on a survey of 186 parents whose children were in the third and sixth year of primary school education. Most parents questioned tended to use “pure” mediation strategies that were instructive in nature, followed by shared and restrictive approaches; one third of parents surveyed said they applied a mix of mediation strategies; parents adapted their interventions according to the perception of the type of Internet activity their children were engaged in, and age. Although altogether no significant differences were found in parental mediation of the use of the Internet depending on the sex of the parents or that of the children, some trends that could have implications for the process of gender socialization in the media and familiar context are indicated.