News

The Centre for Media and Communication Research (CMCR) at the School of Communication at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) hosted a research seminar titled “When the Mediascape Keeps Changing: Rethinking Children, Parents and Digital Media” on 14 October, featuring Professor Wonsun Shin, Associate Professor and Head of Program in Media and Communications at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Professor Angela Mak, Associate Professor from the Department of Communication Studies, moderated the seminar. 

In her welcome remarks, Professor Mak introduced Professor Shin’s longstanding research on young people, families and digital media, and highlighted the importance of examining parents’ role in a media environment increasingly shaped by social platforms and artificial intelligence.

Associate Professor Angela Mak welcomes Professor Wonsun Shin and seminar participants.

Rethinking Families’ Digital Lives

Professor Shin reflected on how rapid changes in the media landscape have reshaped children’s digital experiences and family communication. Drawing on a programme of research with Australian parents, she discussed changes in children’s screen use during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, families’ responses to generative AI, and parents’ concerns about data-driven personalised advertising.

Professor Wonsun Shin shares her research.

Rather than viewing parents as solely responsible for managing digital risks, Professor Shin emphasised that their ability to guide children depends on their knowledge, confidence, resources and circumstances. She also introduced the idea of “reverse socialisation”, through which children share their digital knowledge with parents. This perspective recognises children as active participants in family communication and encourages a more reciprocal understanding of how families learn about media together.

Professor Shin concluded that supporting children in rapidly changing media environments requires shared responsibility among families, schools, governments and industry.

Dialogue with Scholars and Students

Following the presentation, Professor Mak facilitated a discussion on co-use of media and reverse socialisation. Attendees’ questions also addressed children’s voices, media literacy, and generational differences. Reflecting on Australia’s under-16 social media restrictions, Professor Shin stressed the need to balance protection with recognition of children’s agency. 

She encouraged further research on children’s voices, underrepresented families and caregiving practices in Asia-Pacific settings, including the roles of grandparents and domestic helpers. The exchange connected her research findings with broader questions about how families can navigate technological change together.

Professor Wonsun Shin responds to questions during the discussion.

About Professor Wonsun Shin

Professor Shin’s research focuses on young people’s engagement with digital advertising, privacy management and parental mediation. Her work has informed international policy, including documents published by the United Nations and UNICEF, and her projects have attracted more than AUD 2 million in funding. She is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Advertising and serves on the editorial review boards of several international journals.