Abstract

MARCIALES VIVAS, GLORIA PATRICIA  and  CABRA TORRES, FABÍOLA. Internet and Moral Panic: A review of research about interaction of children and teenagers with new mass media. Univ. Psychol. [online]. 2011, vol.10, n.3, pp.855-865. ISSN 1657-9267.

Popular psychology as well as academic research share the concern about the risks faced by children and adolescents with the use of Internet, such as addiction, cyberbullying, sexual harassment, among others. The concept of 'risk' as analytical category becomes essential in the information society, as well as in the research oriented to find out answers to questions such as 'which are the risks', 'what prevalence have', and 'how extended are in contemporary societies'. The concept of 'risk in this review ' is related to the sociological concept of 'moral panic' as a reaction to uncertainty and the loss of control generated by media, due to the fact that they make possible to have access and to be exposed to violent and sexual contents since early childhood. The main issues under study are identified, its scope, recommendations and pedagogical implications for reflection on media literacy.

Keywords : Internet risks; moral panics; cyberbullying; Internet addiction; children and adolescent; media literacy; Digital skills; information use; digital divide.

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