Parents Talking Algorithms
Navigating Datafication and Family Life in Digital Societies
By Ranjana Das
Published
Dec 9, 2024Page count
240 pagesISBN
978-1529241020Dimensions
234 x 156 mmImprint
Bristol University PressPublished
Dec 9, 2024Page count
240 pagesISBN
978-1529241013Dimensions
234 x 156 mmImprint
Bristol University PressPublished
Dec 9, 2024Page count
240 pagesISBN
978-1529241037Dimensions
234 x 156 mmImprint
Bristol University PressPublished
Dec 9, 2024Page count
240 pagesISBN
978-1529241037Dimensions
234 x 156 mmImprint
Bristol University Press
Parents Talking Algorithms
In today's digital societies, parenting is shaped by algorithms daily - in search engines, social media, kids' entertainment, the news and more. But how much are parents aware of the algorithms shaping their parenting and daily lives? How can they prepare for children’s futures in a world dominated by data, algorithms, automation and AI?
This groundbreaking study of 30 English families sheds light on parents’ hopes and fears, their experiences with algorithms in searching, sharing and consuming news and information, and their awareness and knowledge of algorithms at large.
Looking beyond tech skills and media panics, this book is an essential read for social scientists, policy makers and general readers seeking to understand parenting in datafied societies.
"It’s hard enough to bring up a child, but today’s parents must also second-guess, and try to harness, the influence of the many algorithms that shape their access to information, news and social support. Delving into the everyday lives of diverse families, Ranjana Das shows how parents talking algorithms is linked to agency, anxiety and hopes for the future." Sonia Livingstone, London School of Economics and Digital Futures for Children Centre
"In this multifaceted analysis, Ranjana Das shows how parents work to broker, however imperfectly, between their children’s needs and a present and future that are increasingly algorithmic. The importance of her intervention is deepened by her keen eye to the inequities parents are facing in integrating this aspect of the digital into their childrearing." Vikki Katz, Chapman University and Journal of Children and Media
"From the Internet of Toys to Instagram, algorithms are (re)shaping children’s media experiences. How parents understand, interpret and marshal algorithms is a critical issue that Professor Ranjana Das engages with in this timely and insightful book. A must-read for parents, educators and policy makers." Sun Sun Lim, Singapore Management University
Ranjana Das is Professor in Media and Communication at the University of Surrey.
1. Parents Talking Algorithms
2. Quests
3. Curation
4. Understandings
5. News
6. Literacies
7. Tomorrows
8. Attending to parents talking algorithms
