Projects
EU Kids Online V
About EUKO
EU Kids Online (EUKO) is a multinational research network. It seeks to enhance knowledge of European children's online opportunities, risks and safety. It uses multiple methods and sets out to continuously provide empirical evidence on children’s, young people’s, and parent‘s online experiences. This includes large-scale comparative surveys such as the 2020 study in 19 European countries, the 2010 study in 25 European countries, and smaller studies with a specific focus on particular questions. The project has introduced an elaborated theoretical framework for research on children’s online experiences and continues to update the EU Kids Online public database. The network is coordinated by Prof Elisabeth Staksrud, PhD, Department of Media and Communication, University of Oslo, Norway. You can read more information about the project here: https://www.lse.ac.uk/media-and-communications/research/research-projects/eu-kids-online.
It has been funded by the EC’s Better Internet for Kids programme.
Results from previous waves of research can be found here: EUKO II, EUKO III, and EUKO IV.
EUKO V
Building on nearly two decades of expertise, EU Kids Online is launching a new wave of research—EU Kids Online V. This latest phase continues the network’s commitment to providing high-quality, comparative evidence on children’s online experiences, risks, and opportunities across Europe and beyond.
As part of its ongoing mission, the network will update its public database, ensuring access to the latest evidence for researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders. In addition, members will collaborate on thematic studies exploring pressing issues such as AI and childhood, parental mediation strategies, and digital inequalities.
In 2025 The EU Kids Online network will conduct a new representative survey to capture the rapidly evolving digital landscape. A key addition to this wave is the inclusion of emerging themes such as generative AI, alongside established topics like online safety, digital skills, and wellbeing. This expansion reflects the growing importance of understanding how children interact with novel technologies and how these shape their daily lives.
EU Kids Online will also conduct several thematic studies. Our first study is a qualitative comparative study exploring children’s experiences with generative artificial intelligence - RIGHTS.AI conducted in collaboration with the Digital Futures for Children centre (DFC). This research focuses on understanding how children aged 13-17 interact with generative AI tools, such as chatbots and image generators, and examines the implications for their rights, privacy, safety, creativity, and expression. The study encompasses diverse contexts, including countries like Kenya, Brazil, India, as well as 16 European nations within the EU Kids Online network. By capturing children's perspectives, the project aims to inform policies and practices that uphold children's rights in the evolving digital landscape.
Other anticipated studies include a qualitative comparative study on children's democratic engagement and rights, a study examining parents' experiences and perceptions of their children's digital lives, and research on the digital experiences of children with disabilities.
To find out more see news and publications.
