| dc.description.abstract | The process by which fathers determine how to mediate their children’s use of digital media depends on several aspects. Parental mediation theory is based on studies concerning children’s viewing of television and its effects on development and behaviour. Subsequently, the research has encompassed the emergence of the internet, leaving more recent research with the findings of two different groups of strategies, enabling or restrictive mediation. So far much of the research has focused on the accounts of mothers, more so than fathers, leaving the current knowledge on parental mediation skewed. The aim of this thesis is to provide an understanding of the processes behind paternal decisions and practices on how to mediate children’s use of digital media. The objective is to place several fathers' narratives in a context that may illuminate gendered mediation practices. In turn, it may inspire further investigations on the topic, such as investigating parental styles relating to mediation practises. This can contribute to the application of results and highlight tendencies in certain directions, making it easier to base policy and educational decisions on those. Across this study, ten different fathers between the age of 38-45 in Norway have been interviewed, with different national backgrounds, about what guides their decision-making processes concerning the mediation of their children’s use of digital media. Several overarching themes emerged during the coding process of the project which the analysis and discussion are based on. The findings indicate that decision-making processes are based on several different aspects: perceived responsibilities in decision-making concerning digital parenting, screen time in relation to good parenting, mediation of digital media, and paternal hopes and fears in a digital future. The implications of the outcomes show that fathers are guided by their perceived responsibilities in relation to their mediation practices. They are deemed important because they care for the well-being of their children, and they place significant importance on the development of digital literacy, a balance in screen time and other activities, their own resources, and concerns about the balance between home, school, and digital media. | eng |