The Girls Social Media Project (GU Ref No. 2017/568) was a locally representative study that explored Queensland Year 7 and 8 girls’ social media use.
The study focused on girls in this age group because they are more likely than any other demographic to experience online problems such as cyberbullying and emotional distress in relation to these experiences (Alexander et al., 2016; Cooper et al. 2016; OESC, 2018; Rigby & Johnson, 2016).
The study investigated girls’:
The study focused on girls in this age group because they are more likely than any other demographic to experience online problems such as cyberbullying and emotional distress in relation to these experiences (Alexander et al., 2016; Cooper et al. 2016; OESC, 2018; Rigby & Johnson, 2016).
The study investigated girls’:
- online safety practices
- social media practices with friends
- online difficulties and challenges
The study: participants and methods
2017
75 Year 7 girls from 2 Queensland high schools completed a project designed online survey 38 Year 7 girls from the same schools were involved in group discussions about the survey contributions |
2018
160+ Year 8 girls from the same schools were involved in a school-based social media project where girls collaborated with peers to produce a wide range of materials with helpful messages about social media for girls their age. 46 Year 8 girls from the same schools were involved in group discussions about the project work. |
Key findings
Girls' online safety practices
These are well-recognised national and international online safety practices.
Most girls could easily provide explicit examples of what these actions ‘looked-like’ in their social media practice.
These are well-recognised national and international online safety practices.
Most girls could easily provide explicit examples of what these actions ‘looked-like’ in their social media practice.
Girls' social media practice with friends
Girls' online annoyances, difficulties & troubles
|
Girls’ strategies for negotiating online troubles
Why don’t girls report online troubles to adults
Take-away messages
Friendship is a powerful influencer, it offers important clues as to how girls interpret, translate and enact online safety protocols. Friendship expectations, local circumstances, and the often invisible social conditions of girls’ everyday interaction can inform policy and online safety practice. There is a need for age, gender and context specific online safety guidelines as well as locally developed peer support programs. |
Recommendations for schools
- Translate generic online safety rules and online wellbeing agendas into age and gender-specific strategies.
- Use a school-based approach that involves: mapping year-level and gender-specific concerns.
- Develop year-level and gender-specific strategies through student-led projects and activities. Use gendered groupings for Years 7 – 9 students.
- Focus on reframing regulatory online reporting practices into help seeking options that effectively leverage/encourage peer group support.
New Social Media Mindset Framework
A poster was developed as a teaching resource to help develop a social media mindset for students, available here as a PDF [348 KB].
|