Children in the Digital World: Features of Media Consumption

Modern children are born in the era of total digitalization. We can safely classify them as a generation of "digital aborigines". Many of them have their first gadget in their hands in the first year of life, as soon as the skill of holding objects in their hands begins to develop. Further, the control of children's media consumption depends on the parents' consciousness and lifestyle. And if a few years ago there was a widespread attitude that children should be kept away from digital devices for as long as possible, today this trend is changing. It's about the inevitability of children encountering the digital world and trying to consciously integrate it into their daily lives.

This article provides an overview of the theoretical and practical aspects of media consumption in modern Russian children (from 0 to 17 years old). The purpose of the study is to characterize the practice of media consumption in children in three age groups: 4-8 years old, 9-13 years old and 14-17 years old. In this regard, the data from the media behavior study of children and adolescents presented by Mediascope in April 2025 were reviewed. The authors concluded that the Internet has become an integral part of the lives of Russian children – a kind of institution of socialization that conveys norms, values and skills in an easily digestible form, sometimes without passing moderation for compliance with ethical standards, reliability, competent and correct presentation.

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