PARENTAL CONTROL OVER MEDIA CONSUMPTION IN SLOVAK FAMILIES

Introduction: A child’s upbringing begins with his/her birth as he/she gradually adapts to the current family habits and society, so that the child is prepared for all circumstances. From birth, a child perceives the warmth, the light, and the love of his/her mother. They also perceive the influence of the media, and it is, therefore, desirable to prepare children to use them correctly and safely. Children use several types of media as a source of information, entertainment, and leisure. 
Objectives: The study aims to identify and analyse adolescents’ media consumption and to highlight parental control in Slovak families. 
Methods: the data for the study is conducted with an online questionnaire focusing on media literacy and parental mediation, which is then distributed among the pupils in Slovakia. 
Results: The study finds that boys spend most of their time on the computer or laptop, and the most common activity is playing games. Connecting to social networking sites for chatting is popular among girls. The use of mobile phones with internet access is common among both genders. Boys are found to have more restrictions on the time spent online and the content consumed. Age wise, media consumption of 11 and 12 year olds is restrictive. For older pupils, there is not much parental control. 
Conclusion: Media literacy is important for families today. Parents must adapt to the digital age and equip their children to use online media responsibly. The study highlights the possibilities for family media education and draws attention to age and gender-wise differences in the parental control on media consumption of adolescents in Slovak families.