The research consisted of three nationally representative surveys, one of children (9- 17 years-old), one of their parents, and a separate survey of adults (from 18 years-old). The objectives of the research were to: Determine how adults and children in Ireland use and access the internet and the level of their digital skills Estimate the prevalence of online risks experienced by internet users Identify opportunities and benefits obtained using the internet Identify safety practices of adults and children when using the internet Identify how parents and carers mediate in the use of internet by their children Overall, this research provides an overview of how people in Ireland, particularly children, access and use the internet, including their digital literacy and exposure to risks. The research also examines how children and parents work together to deal with any risks. The research with children and parents is based primarily on the EU Kids Online questionnaire previously undertaken in Ireland in 2011 and 2014. The questionnaires were adapted and updated to take account of changing patterns of use and technological trends. A new short survey of adults’ experiences of risks and safety online was also undertaken adapting with permission an equivalent survey undertaken by the eSafety Commissioner in Australia.

Probability: Stratified. A quota sampling approach using defined starting addresses was used to select households and participants. The selection of the sample involved a stratified random selection of addresses, or sampling points, to distribute the sample geographically throughout the Republic of Ireland, proportional to population. The Republic of Ireland is divided geographically into 3,440 Electoral Divisions (EDs) ranged across Urban and Rural districts throughout the country. These EDs provided the basis of the sampling frame from which the selection of sampling points was chosen for this study – each sampling point represented an individual ED. To ensure that the selected Electoral Divisions (EDs) were representative of the required population in terms of its distribution around Ireland, the population was initially stratified by province and degree of urbanisation. Within this stratification, all wards, towns and EDs were listed with their populations and the required sampling points were selected proportional to their population, utilising a random, systematic selection process. In this manner 125 EDs were selected by identifying every nth ED. This framework ensured a spread of interviewing across all urban and rural dimensions. The systematic approach further ensured that all households had an equal opportunity for selection regardless of the size of the ED. Within each sampling point the interviewer was provided with a randomly selected starting address from which they commenced their interviewing assignment of 20 interviews (8 children 8 parents and 4 other adults). At each sampling point quota controls were applied to ensure that the sample was representative of the universe in terms of required demographic criteria. These were set by gender and age of the child (9-11, 12-13, 14-15, 16-17), and by age of the other adult (18-44, 45+). For parents, the interviewer was permitted to select either the female or male caregiver.

Face-to-face interview: PAPI