Abstract
This study explores the relation between adolescents’ risky online behavior, their
parents’ internet mediation and the prevalence of internet use in a country. Using
the EU Kids Online dataset, including information on 15,415 adolescents in 25
countries, this study found that adolescents from lower educated and single-parent
households are more likely to engage in risky online behavior. Furthermore, parental
social internet mediation and especially rules restricting children’s internet
use appear to be effective ways to reduce risk-taking by adolescents online. Parental
monitoring seems to increase when adolescents are risky online. The level of
modernization of a country seems to have no effect on adolescents’ participation
in risky online activities. However, in more digitalized societies, parental social
mediation seems less decisive in reducing risky behavior of adolescents online.
Applying restrictions on internet use in the family home is an effective way to curb
young people’s risky online behavior, regardless of a country’s level of internet
diffusion.
