OFCOM INTERNET USAGE & ONLINE SAFETY
MEASURING ONLINE USE OF CHILDREN AGED 8-14 YRS
Project reference: 2425-010066
This research is being conducted on behalf of Ofcom, the communications regulator for the UK.
Ofcom is the regulator for online safety in the UK, under the Online Safety Act. Ofcom’s job is to make sure online services, like sites and apps, meet their duties to protect their users. To better enable Ofcom to comply with this duty we would like to carry out research to measure the online use of child/ren aged 8 to 14 yrs.
This research is interested in recording which websites and apps your children visits when using the internet.
WHEN:
From 6th February
WHERE:
UK - NORTH WEST
WHAT'S INVOLVED:
This research is a passive measurement study that requires the download of a VPN monitoring app to Android and/or IOS smartphone and/or tablet and/or to PC/laptop that are used by your child/ren at least once a week for a total of 28 days. (PLEASE NOTE, Chromebooks and Amazon Fire Tablets are not compatible with the App being used for the study)
The VPN monitor runs in the background whilst the device it is downloaded to is being used. It allows Yonder to collect data (specifics below) from the following:
• Websites visited
• Apps visited
The specific data that will be collected from the websites and/or apps visited are:
• Website or app name e.g. Websites such as https://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/cbeebies or apps such as TikTok)
• Time/date/duration of visit to the websites and/or apps
• Frequency of visits to the websites and/or apps
• Search terms entered into search engines
The VPN monitor does NOT collect keystrokes or information that is entered into a web form on a website or app, such as website user IDs, passwords, credit card numbers, other financial account numbers or any other data presented on or entered into a secure (HTTPS) webpage. As a result, the app will not have access to information regarding items in a website shopping basket or interactions with financial or health-related websites that you may log into, as these are normally secure site.
The VPN monitor does NOT collect keystrokes or information that is entered into a web form on a website or app, such as website user IDs, passwords, credit card numbers, other financial account numbers or any other data presented on or entered into a secure (HTTPS) webpage. As a result, the app will not have access to information regarding items in a website shopping basket or interactions with financial or health-related websites that you may log into, as these are normally secure site.
We are not gathering information about what your child/ren is doing or account information on social media services such as Facebook or YouTube or TikTok, (if they are using them). For websites we will capture the domain name and URL, (this is the web address name you type in /see at the top of a browser to get to a website e.g., www.bbc.co.uk).
WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU:
As a thank you for your time and input, you’ll receive £60 via Bacs
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Parents will be sent a link to an automated consent form which parent and child need to sign/print their name on
On receipt of the completed consent form, you will be sent unique download instructions for the App
We are looking to hear from all different perspectives so if you're interested, apply now!
When completing the form please answer carefully and as honestly as possible, there are no right or wrong answers, all answers will be looked at individually when checking if you are applicable for the research.
If it looks like you'll be a fit for the research based on your application, a member of the team will be in touch to go through a couple of questions and see if we can get you booked in to take part.
APPLICATIONS NOW CLOSED
Many thanks
The Thought Hub team
