Parenting in an Algorithm Age: Parents Talking Algorithms and Parenthood, Amidst Datafication

In today’s digital societies, parenting is shaped by algorithms daily - in search engines, social media, kids’ entertainment, the news and more. But how much are parents aware of the algorithms shaping their parenting and daily lives? How can they prepare for children’s futures in a world dominated by data, algorithms, automation and AI?

This groundbreaking study of 30 English families sheds light on parents’ hopes and fears, their experiences with algorithms in searching, sharing and consuming news and information, and their awareness and knowledge of algorithms at large.

Looking beyond tech skills and media panics, this book is an essential read for social scientists, policy makers and general readers seeking to understand parenting in datafied societies.

Ranjana Das is Professor in Media and Communication at the University of Surrey.