Young adolescents and digital media: Uses, risks and opportunities in low-and middle-income countries

This rapid evidence review explores adolescent girls’ access to and use of digital media, especially mobile phones and the internet, in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). It examines the associated digital skills and practices and opportunities and risks, including forms of safety mediation, especially among the 10 to 14-year-old age group.

The authors seek to address two main questions: What do scholars and practitioners know about how young adolescents are using digital media and the key challenges these children face? And, what evidence is there of local, national and international development programmes’ effective use of digital media to target the early adolescent age bracket (rather than adolescents 15+ years)?

Given the increasing importance of digital media in shaping adolescents’ lives in the Global South, this rapid evidence review aims to outline gaps in the existing knowledge on adolescents’ use of digital media so as to contribute to evidence-informed programming and policy dialogues and action.

Suggested citation

Livingstone, S., Nandi, A., Banaji, S. and Stoilova, M. (2017) Young adolescents and digital media: uses, risks and opportunities in low-and middle-income countries: a rapid evidence review. London: Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence. (https://www.gage.odi.org/publication/digital-media-risks-opportunities/)