Title: Kids Online Aotearoa: An Objective Protocol to Study the Nature and Extent of Children’s Online World (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Children under 18 account for approximately one in three internet users worldwide. Largely unregulated, the online world is evolving rapidly and becoming increasingly intrusive. There is a dearth of objective research globally on children’s real-time experiences of the online world. OBJECTIVE This paper reports on an objective methodology to study the nature and extent of children’s online world, their engagement with it, and how this impacts their health and wellbeing. METHODS A total of 180 Year 8 students from 12 schools will be recruited into the study within the Wellington region of Aotearoa New Zealand. Children use Zoom video teleconferencing software to record real-time, screen-shared online content, for four consecutive days. Data on demographics; health and wellbeing; and attitudes and perceived behaviors in relation to the online world are collected. Phone screen-time balances are retrieved. Data collection commenced June 2021 and is ongoing. RESULTS Recordings show children exploring diverse web-based settings and content, including personalized content curated by algorithms on platforms such as: TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. Preliminary analysis shows that the data can be used to study a wide range of topics. BORIS software is being used to manually code recordings. Artificial Intelligence techniques are also being applied. CONCLUSIONS This novel methodology reveals the unique online experiences of children underpinned by a commitment to ensuring their rights are protected. It seeks to provide concrete evidence on internet usage in this group and facilitate appropriate political, and societal action, to effectively regulate the online world to prevent harm to children.