Enhancing Parents' Knowledge and Practice of Online Safety: A Research Report on an Intergenerational 'Living Lab' Experiment

The 'Living Lab' report highlights that both parents and young people emphasised the benefits of fostering intergenerational conversation about issues of young people's technology use and online safety. They noted that intergenerational dialogue enabled the building of trust and a sense of shared responsibility regarding the use of technology. Whilst both informal and formal cybersafety education are having a positive impact on young people's capacity to identify online risks and take steps to ensure their wellbeing, there is scope to improve parent education in ways that empower parents to support their children's safe engagement with technology. This study indicates that, given the chance, parents will find ways to discuss with their children their mutual obligations and responsibilities for others, as well as discuss appropriate online behaviour and how to seek advice or help.