Navigating Digital Risks in Early Childhood Education: Parental Strategies in Mediating Media and Gadget Exposure
Abstract
Objective: This study aims to explore how parents of children aged 2 to 6 mediate digital risks, including exposure to violent media and unsafe online content through gadgets. Method: Using a qualitative descriptive design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 93 parents across 41 cities in Indonesia to capture a wide range of sociocultural and digital contexts. Results: Thematic analysis revealed various parental strategies such as constant supervision, content restriction, open communication, and, in rare cases, complete avoidance of digital technologies. These findings underscore parental concerns and highlight the tension between short-term protective actions and fostering long-term digital resilience in children. Novelty: This study contributes to early childhood education by emphasizing the role of parenting practices as central to the development of digital literacy and child protection, and by proposing the need for culturally responsive and developmentally appropriate interventions that support safe digital engagement during early childhood.
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