Sweden

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In brief

Sweden is a higher use and higher risk country where many kids are making new acquaintances online. Fortunately, the interviews show that there are few problems when they later meet with their new friends offline. Older girls (15-16) are more vulnerable. But when they have friends and parents to talk to they are OK. Younger girls, 11-12 years old, without friends, can find themselves in a more difficult situation.

Highlights

The results from EU Kids Online Sweden have received widespread media attention raising awareness and creating a space for dialogue between shareholders.
The main impact and importance of the EU Kids Online project for both researchers and stakeholders in Sweden have been the findings on risks and harm for Swedish children compared to the average European child.

Swedish team

Cecilia von Feilitzen was formerly (1997-2012) Scientific Coordinator of The International Clearinghouse on Children, Youth and Media, Nordicom, University of Gothenburg, and is now Professor Emeritus in Media and Communication Studies, Södertörn University, Sweden. Many of her approximately 250 research reports, articles, books, and newsletters are devoted to young people and media.

Elza Dunkels is a senior lecturer at the Department of Interactive Media and Learning at Umeå University, Sweden. Her PhD from 2007 deals with young people's own perceptions of online dangers. She is currently involved in projects concerning online risk, adults' perceptions of online dangers and sexual exploitation of young people online.

Olle Findahl is Professor of Media and Communication and Research Director at the World Internet Institute, Sweden. He is in charge of the ongoing longitudinal study "Internet and the Swedes" and is a cognitive psychologist and a media researcher who started doing reception studies in the 70s, and has focused mainly on the Internet during the last ten years.

Ulrika Sjöberg, PhD, is Associate Professor at the School of Arts and Communication, Malmö University. Her main research interest involves young people’s media practices in terms of usage, media production and issues related to media literacy. She is currently working with the projects ”Facing media with a critical eye”, “Organized Producers of Young Net Cultures” and “Theatre and dialogue: A regional study in Oresund".

Dahlstrand

Karl Dahlstrand has a PhD in the Sociology of Law and teaches in criminology and the sociology of law in Lund. Karl's current research is about defamation on the net, in particular within social media, from a victimological perspective and he is a member of the research team Cybernorms (cybernormer.se) and LUii (Lund University Internet Institute).

Michael Forsman

Contact

Cecilia von Feilitzen, PhD, Professor
Formerly (1997-2012) Scientific Co-ordinator, The International Clearinghouse on Children,
Youth and Media, Nordicom, University of Gothenburg,
Box 713,
405 30 Goteborg
Sweden
tel: +46-8-608 48 58
fax: +46-8-608 46 40
email: cecilia.von.feilitzen@sh.se
and
now Professor Emeritus at Södertörn University, Media and Communication Studies, 141 89 Huddinge, Sweden.