Current Research

A selection of the latest Australian and international research on the effects of media on children:

  • Advertising and marketing to children
    Research on the impacts of various types of advertising and marketing, including food advertising
  • Children's understanding of media content 
    Research related to developmental ages and stages
  • Media content and impacts
    The impacts of such content as violence, horror and scary stuff, sex/ sexualised images, pornography, stereotypes and risky behaviours  including smoking, alcohol and other drugs.
  • Media use
    Research related to who is using the media, how much, when, where and the outcomes of this media usage.
  • Mitigating media impacts
    Regulation, classification, media education for children, parent education and strategies,advocacy on behalf of the child audience
  • Technology-specific issues
    Research on various types of technology: videogames, mobile phones, apps, social media, Internet safety, cyberbullying 

A list of researchers who focus on children and the media 

Link to the US based Center on Media and Child Health searchable research data base