Children's perception of the parental mediation of the risks of the Internet

Introduction: This article addresses the role of the various agents that mediate children's internet use: parents, teachers and peers such as classmates and friends. Method. The study is based on a qualitative approach that involved focus groups and interviews with children aged 9-16, and the analysis of children's discourses. Results. The results focus on children's perceptions of their relationship with their classmates, friends, teachers and parents in relation to internet use. Conclusions. Children show a high degree of awareness about the risks of the internet, and greatly value the support of their friends in solving the problems they find online. However, children do not trust their parents for the mediation of their online activities despite recognising that their parents are those who can help them out the most