ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an over view of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book discusses the children and online risk. It explains the contemporary public discourse, concerns and systemic regulations related to children's use of the Internet, and analyses the implications these concerns and regulations have for children's rights on a fundamental level. This is done from a social scientific approach within the research framework of media and communication studies. While contributing to a larger theoretical field, the book addresses some empirical gaps relating to children and online risk. It should also be noted that parallel to this work, the EU Kids II representative survey of children and one of their parents in 25 European countries has been conducted, informing us of the current position regarding children and online risks in Europe. Most discussions on children, their safety, perceived innocence and welfare have the ability to generate strong feelings and often a heated public discourse.
