Research

What the research says, and what we did about it.

Our design follows published studies on children, parents and technology. Each one links to the original.

The problem

Phones became the biggest fight at home.

Parents worry, kids feel watched, and most apps answer with more blocking. Research shows that makes things worse.

1 in 3

internet users in the world is a child under 18.

UNICEF, State of the World's Children 2017

66%

of parents say raising children is harder than 20 years ago, most often because of technology.

Pew Research Center, Parenting Children in the Age of Screens, 2020

76%

of children's reviews of parental-control apps gave one star, saying the apps hurt their relationship with their parents.

Ghosh et al., CHI 2018

CHI 2018 · ACM · Ghosh, Badillo-Urquiola, Guha, LaViola, Wisniewski

Safety vs. Surveillance: What Children Have to Say about Mobile Apps for Parental Control

736 app-store reviews by children aged 8 to 19: most gave one star, calling the apps too restrictive and invasive, and saying they hurt their relationship with their parents.

So kids see everything we see, agree on their own phone, and can always ask.

Read the paper

CHI 2018 Extended Abstracts · Ghosh, Badillo-Urquiola, Rosson, Xu, Carroll, Wisniewski

A Matter of Control or Safety? Examining Parental Use of Technical Monitoring Apps on Teens' Mobile Devices

A survey of 215 parent–teen pairs: more parental control went with more online risk, not less. The authors call for apps that support engaged parenting rather than restriction.

So our core is quests, weekly insights and plans you agree together.

Read the paper

Journal of Communication, 2017 · Livingstone, Ólafsson, Helsper, et al.

Maximizing opportunities and minimizing risks for children online: the role of digital skills in emerging strategies of parental mediation

6,400 parents in eight European countries: enabling mediation goes with more online opportunities; restrictive mediation lowers risk but also cuts opportunities and skills.

So we block only what could hurt, and help with everything else.

Read the paper (open access)

American Psychologist, 2000 · Ryan & Deci

Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being

People are most motivated when three needs are met: autonomy, competence and relatedness. Control and pressure tend to weaken motivation from within.

So kids choose their quests, see their own progress, and do things with you.

Read the paper

Pew Research Center, 2020 · 3,640 US parents

Parenting Children in the Age of Screens

Two in three parents say parenting is harder than 20 years ago, most often because of technology. 71% of parents of children under 12 worry about too much screen time.

So the report ends in a plan you can act on, not a pile of numbers.

Read the report

UNICEF, 2017

The State of the World's Children 2017: Children in a Digital World

One in three internet users worldwide is a child, and protection has not kept pace. UNICEF calls on families, companies and governments to act together.

So safety features stay free for every family.

Read the report

We summarise each study in our own words and link to the original. The findings belong to their authors.

Grow up digital, together.

Be one of the first families on DigiTogether.

Get early access