The internet and advances in communications technology over the last ten
years, specifically in terms of broadband connections coupled with the rise of
social network sites (SNS) and social media, has amplified not only opportunities
for youth regarding expressions of identity, intimacy, and sociability, but
also risks related to privacy, abuse, and misunderstandings in their lived
experiences (Livingstone, 2008). Youth are bombarded by messages from
parents, peers, law enforcement, teachers, the media, and the government
regarding how to manage web-based
risks when online. Often encouraged to
self-monitor,
youth are to be responsible (and are often held accountable) for
their online actions, with the directive of teaching youth to avoid harm from
cyberbullying, sending nudes, or “sexting,” and other forms of risk (including
from online sexual predators) (boyd, 2014; Karaian, 2013). This is especially
true for female adolescents, whose risk potential is often thought to be higher
than that of their male peers (Bailey & Steeves, 2015). Cyberspace itself
presents a virtually “limitless victimization risk” (Hinduja & Patchin,
2009: 24).