Digital Platforms in Family Dynamics: Intergenerational Perspectives on Opportunities and Risks
Families use these platforms to stay connected across distances, share moments, and coordinate daily routines. However, the integration of digital platforms also introduces challenges, such as the fading of boundaries between private and public life, concerns over surveillance, and generational gaps in digital literacy (Erstad et al., 2024). The aim of this paper is to explore opportunities and risks associated with the platformization of family life perceived by children, parents, and grandparents. Specifically, this objective aims to address the following questions: which are the main opportunities of using digital platforms in facilitating communication, intimacy, and family bonding identified by different generations?; how do family members navigate and negotiate the challenges generated by the use of digital platforms related with privacy and surveillance? To explore these issues, we have interviewed 20 families around Spain, carrying out individual interviews to grandparents, parents and children. The sample was composed by 60 participants aged 8 to 78 years old.
Early findings show that platforms enhance communication and daily life microcoordination, with the emergence of new forms of expression and care based on sharing interests, resources and stories. Families also point at changes in power dynamics, such as children becoming more influential in family technology use. There are also concerns about privacy, algorithmic systems and commercial actors. Families engage in practices of surveillance, which is usually motivated by care, but also lead to tensions, especially regarding children's privacy rights.