YOUNG CHILDREN'S MORAL JUDGEMENT ON ONLINE AND OFFLINE PRIVACY-PROTECTIVE STRATEGIES

Abstract

Past research has shown that young children? awareness of privacy risks is reduced in digital environments, whereas they apply different strategies to protect their privacy online. This study examined children?s moral evaluations of privacy-protective strategies (lie-telling, truth-telling, withholding) in digital and non-digital environments and their understanding of online privacy risks. Two studies were conducted to examine children?s moral judgement of privacy-protective strategies when the disclosure target was a stranger (Study 1) and a friend (Study 2). A series of hypothetical dilemmas and online safety questions were presented to six- to eight-year-old children (Study 1 and 2) and adults (Study 2). Results showed that all children showed heightened awareness of online privacy risks when the disclosure target was a stranger (Study 1), whereas only eight-year-olds and adults were aware of online privacy risks when the disclosure target was a friend (Study 2). Disclosure platforms affected children?s moral judgement of privacy-protective strategies when the disclosure target was a friend (Study 2) but not when the disclosure target was a stranger (Study 1). These findings have implications on facilitating children?s understanding of online privacy risks in digital age.