Children and the Internet: Developmental Implications of Web Site Preferences Among 8-to 12-Year-Old Children

The Internet is quickly becoming a favored medium for children, but few studies have investigated the content and types of activities children engage with online. The current study uses data collected from a national sample of 442 8- to 12-year-old children to investigate children's Internet content preferences during middle childhood. Results indicate that You Tube and Facebook were the two most favored Web sites. Additionally, there were significant differences by age and gender. Overall, results suggest children's Web site preferences are consistent with emotional, social, and cognitive development encountered in middle childhood.