İnternet and mobi̇le technology habi̇t and safer i̇nternet use of chi̇ldren between age of 0-8

The aim of this research is to reveal 0-8 aged children's mobile technology and İnternet use, İnternet activities, the risks they are exposed to and to reveal parental awareness and coping strategies towards İnternet risks that their children experienced. The study is a qualitative survey study. The study group consists of 41 children aged 0-8 years, selected by snowball sampling method in Erzurum and the parents of these children. In the study data were gathered through interviews to obtain information about the experiences of the children in the 0-8 age group and their views. Observation form was used for 0-4 year old children. In addition, interviews were held with parents about the use of İnternet and mobile technologies and strategies for coping. Descriptive and systematic analysis method was used in the analysis of qualitative data obtained from interviews. According to findings, most of the children (f = 32) are seeing mobile devices from their parents for the first time. It seems that the big part of the children's activities are playing games and watching videos. Mobile devices are rarely used for social media and education. Parents have also found that mobile devices are rarely used for educational and business purposes, and mobile devices are generally used as entertainment devices. Parents are aware that mobile devices have many risks to their children, but they are inadequate in terms of preventable measures. This age group has shown that children are not confronted with serious problems because of their use, but they are not conscious of what serious problems are and how to deal with them. At the end of the study, the results of risky behaviors that children can use in mobile İnternet usage and how the roles of parents should be in using mobile technologies and İnternet are discussed. In studies that study the 0-8 age group, it seems important to reach a large number of children in 7-8 years old to be able to reveal the diversity and risks of the data. Establishing a platform where parents and children can get information on how to deal with risks and get support from specialists can also provide great support for safer İnternet use for families. Key Words: Ġnternet safety, 0-8 age children, Mobile technology use