Start
alspac_10_iu
ALSPAC Internet Use Survey
Welcome to the ALSPAC Internet Use On-Line Survey
We are conducting a study into how young people use the internet, and would like to ask you about the sites you use, what you use those sites for, and how you manage any risks you encounter online. We are interested in this information because we want to understand not only how you use the internet, but also how we might be able to make it a better place in the future.
The survey is completed anonymously, can be saved part way through and takes around 12 minutes to complete. We will be able to link this survey with other data that you have contributed to the ALSPAC study.
If questions turn grey, it means that they won't apply to you so please don't answer them!
Note that once you have clicked on the CONTINUE button at the bottom of each page you can not return to review or amend that page.
Data Protection
All data collected in this survey will be held anonymously and securely. No personal data is asked for or retained. Your responses can be linked to other data that you have provided us within the ALSPAC study, while retaining anonymity, for research purposes only.
Cookies, personal data stored by your Web browser, are not used in this survey.
ALSPAC On Line Survey on Internet Use
Clicking the Continue button at the end of each page will move you to the next set of questions. However, please note that once you have clicked on continue, you cannot return.
General internet use
1

Do you have internet access at home?

1
Yes
2
No
1 i

When did you first get the internet at home?

1
Less than 6 months ago
2
Between 6 months and 1 year
3
Between 1 and 2 years ago
4
More than 2 years ago
2

About how long have you been using the internet?

(enter number of years)

How many
3

How many hours do you spend online per week?

(enter number of hours - whole number only)

Hours
4 a-e
How much of your total time online does each of the following activities take up?
-

1 - 1:None

2 - 2

3 - 3

4 - 4

5 - 5

6 - 6

7 - 7

8 - 8

9 - 9

10 - 10:Almost All
Information searching (e.g. for school or work, looking up news)
Socialising (e.g. IM, social networking)
Leisure (e.g. playing games, watching video, listening to music)
E-commerce (e.g. shopping, banking)
Other (indicate how frequently you use it, and describe what it is below.)
5

Please give details of other activity if selected above. (Optional)

Other
Previous experience with the internet
Some questions about your use of the internet
6 a-r
How frequently have you encountered the following when using the internet?
-

1 - 1:Never

2 - 2

3 - 3

4 - 4

5 - 5:Always
Someone that you have not met face to face asked for your phone number
Someone that you have not met face to face asked about your interests or hobbies
Someone that you have not met face to face asked you to tell them your age and date of birth
Someone that you have not met face to face asked for your personal email
Someone that you have not met face to face asked for your full name
Someone that you have not met face to face asked you you to give them the name of your school/college/workplace
Someone that you have not met face to face asked you for your photograph
Someone that you have not met face to face asked you for your parents' names
Visited chat rooms that are not moderated (this means that someone checks and approves the messages sometimes before or after they appear)
Been bullied over the internet
Received unwanted sexual comments over the internet
Come across pornography on the internet
Been sent unsolicited (not asked for) sexual material over the internet
Come across violent or gruesome material on the internet
Come across racist or hateful material on the internet
Met someone face to face that you first met on the internet
Got junk e-mail or unwanted email
Have had personal information you disclosed misused by another person
Protecting yourself online
Use of instant messaging (MSN, Yahoo Messenger etc) and/or Blogs and/or message boards?
7

Do you use instant messaging and/or Blogs and/or message boards

1
Yes
2
No
8 a-f
When using instant messaging and/or Blogs and/or message boards which of the following do you usually do?
-

1 - 1:Never

2 - 2

3 - 3

4 - 4

5 - 5:Always
If you meet someone with common interests ask them to continue the discussion in a private window
Block messages from people you don't want to hear from
When you first meet someone new, focus the discussion on neutral topics instead of talking too much about your personal life
Hide your identity
Avoid posting photos or videos of yourself that can be viewed by anyone
Participate in forums that you know are not moderated
Use of email?
9

Do you use email?

1
Yes
2
No
10 a-b
When using email which of the following do you usually do?
-

1 - 1:Never

2 - 2

3 - 3

4 - 4

5 - 5:Always
When sending out news and updates of your life, send your friends individual emails instead of copying all of them into a single email
Delete emails so no-one can read them
Use of Social networking?
11

Do you use social networking?

1
Yes
2
No
12 a-c
When using social networking which of the following do you usually do?
-

1 - 1:Never

2 - 2

3 - 3

4 - 4

5 - 5:Always
Anonymize your online social networking profile (e.g. by using a nickname) so that other people cannot easily track you
When participating in social networking, change your profile's setting to be more private so that only people who are in your friends list can see your profile
When participating in social networking, change your profile's setting to be more private so that only people who are in your friends list can post comments and stuff in your profile
Use and registration on Commercial Website
13

Do you browse and/or register on commercial web sites?

1
Yes
2
No
14 a-e
When using a commercial web site which of the following do you usually do?
-

1 - 1:Never

2 - 2

3 - 3

4 - 4

5 - 5:Always
Register your information only on websites that have a privacy policy
Read the website's privacy policy before you register your information
Enter incomplete information when asked to provide personal information in a web site
Enter false information when asked to provide personal information in a web site
Watch for ways to control what people send you online (such as check boxes that allow you to opt-in or opt-out of certain offers)
The following questions are about your general computer use.
15 a-f
When using a computer which of the following do you usually do?
-

1 - 1:Never

2 - 2

3 - 3

4 - 4

5 - 5:Always
Minimise a browser window when someone comes into the room
Hide or mislabel files to keep them private
Check your computer for spy ware
Delete the history file (that shows the websites you have visited)
Delete unwanted cookies on your computer
Use a pop up window blocker
16 a

Your attitudes towards privacy In General, how concerned are you about your privacy while you are using the internet?

1
1:Never
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5:Always
Social Networking
General questions about your social networking activities
17

Do you have a social networking profile?

1
Yes
2
No
17 a

Which social networking sites do you use?

(select all that apply)

1
Bebo
2
Myspace
3
Facebook
4
Orkut
5
LiveJournal
6
Friendster
7
Plaxo
8
Twitter
9
Other (please specify)
Other
17 b

What is your main social networking site?

1
Bebo
2
Myspace
3
Facebook
4
Orkut
5
LiveJournal
6
Friendster
7
Plaxo
8
Twitter
9
Other (please specify)
Other
17 c

How long have you used your main social networking site?

1
Under two months
2
Between two months and six months
3
Between six months and a year
4
More than one year, but less than two
5
For more than two years
17 d

On average, how often do you visit your main social networking profile(s)?

1
More than once a day
2
Daily
3
Several times a week
4
Once a week
5
Less than weekly, but more than once a month
6
Once a month
7
Not applicable
17 e

How many hours a week do you spend on your main social networking site?

How many
17 f

How many friends do you have linked on your main social networking profile?

How many
17 g

Who do you think is currently viewing your main social networking profile? (tick all that apply)

(select all that apply)

1
Friends
2
People in my classes
3
Someone I met at a party
4
Family
5
Teachers or professors
6
School or college administration
7
Employers
8
Law enforcement
9
Government
10
My boyfriend or girlfriend
11
Total strangers
17 h

Who do you think will be viewing your main social networking profile in the future? (tick all that apply)

(select all that apply)

1
Friends
2
People in my classes
3
Someone I met at a party
4
Family
5
Teachers or professors
6
School or college administration
7
Employers
8
Law enforcement
9
Government
10
My boyfriend or girlfriend
11
Total strangers
18 a-d
Thinking about the information about yourself on social networking sites:
-

1 - 1:Strongly Disagree

2 - 2

3 - 3

4 - 4

5 - 5:Strongly Agree
I trust that my main social networking site will not use my personal information for any other purpose
I feel that the privacy of my personal information is protected by my main social networking site
I believe most of the profiles I view on my main social networking site are exaggerated to make the person look more appealing
I worry that I will be embarrassed by wrong information others post about me on my main social networking site
19 a-v
Thinking about your main social networking site, how frequently, if ever, do you do the following?
-

1 - 1:Never

2 - 2

3 - 3

4 - 4

5 - 5:Always
Finding out what old friends are doing now
Seeing what people have put as their status
Discovering apps because your friends have added them
Being tagged on photos
Quizzes
Reconnecting with people you have lost touch with
Tagging photos
Using advanced search to look for specific types of people
Maintaining relationships with people you don't get to see often
Applications within the social networking site
Viewing other people's friends
Connecting with people you otherwise would have lost contact with
Communication with likeminded people
Finding people you haven't seen for a while
Looking at the profiles of people you don't know
Contacting friends who are away from home
Sharing / posting photographs
Joining groups
Playing games
Browsing your friend's friends
Updating your own status
Chatting with your friends using an inbuilt chatting tool provided by the social networking site
About your Parents
Questions about the amount of influence your parents have over your use of the internet
20 a-m
Which of the following have your parents ever done to manage your internet use?
How often have they:

1 - Never done this

2 - Yes, once

3 - Yes, more than once
Checked your files or folders on a computer for content
Restricted the amount of time you are allowed online
Accessed your email or other account without your knowledge or consent
Accessed your email or other account with your knowledge
Restricted the type of activities you are allowed to use on the internet
Restricted use of a social networking site e.g Bebo
Viewed your profile on your social networking site without your knowledge or consent
Asked for a password to access a computer or folder
Installed filtering software to restrict access to certain types of sites
Installed monitoring software on a computer
Examined browser history or cache
Monitored your mobile telephone records
Examined the content of your phone without your knowledge or consent
End of Survey
Thank you for completing this survey. We hope you found it enjoyable.
End

alspac_10_iu

s_intro_i
ALSPAC Internet Use Survey
s_intro_ii
Welcome to the ALSPAC Internet Use On-Line Survey
s_intro_iii
We are conducting a study into how young people use the internet, and would like to ask you about the sites you use, what you use those sites for, and how you manage any risks you encounter online. We are interested in this information because we want to understand not only how you use the internet, but also how we might be able to make it a better place in the future.
s_intro_iv
The survey is completed anonymously, can be saved part way through and takes around 12 minutes to complete. We will be able to link this survey with other data that you have contributed to the ALSPAC study.
s_intro_v
If questions turn grey, it means that they won't apply to you so please don't answer them!
s_intro_vi
Note that once you have clicked on the CONTINUE button at the bottom of each page you can not return to review or amend that page.
s_intro_vii
Data Protection
s_intro_viii
All data collected in this survey will be held anonymously and securely. No personal data is asked for or retained. Your responses can be linked to other data that you have provided us within the ALSPAC study, while retaining anonymity, for research purposes only.
s_intro_ix
Cookies, personal data stored by your Web browser, are not used in this survey.

ALSPAC On Line Survey on Internet Use

s_intro_x
Clicking the Continue button at the end of each page will move you to the next set of questions. However, please note that once you have clicked on continue, you cannot return.

General internet use

1
Do you have internet access at home?
1
Yes
2
No
1 i
When did you first get the internet at home?
1
Less than 6 months ago
2
Between 6 months and 1 year
3
Between 1 and 2 years ago
4
More than 2 years ago
2
About how long have you been using the internet?
How many
3
How many hours do you spend online per week?
Hours
4 a-e

How much of your total time online does each of the following activities take up?

-

1 - 1:None

2 - 2

3 - 3

4 - 4

5 - 5

6 - 6

7 - 7

8 - 8

9 - 9

10 - 10:Almost All
Information searching (e.g. for school or work, looking up news)
Socialising (e.g. IM, social networking)
Leisure (e.g. playing games, watching video, listening to music)
E-commerce (e.g. shopping, banking)
Other (indicate how frequently you use it, and describe what it is below.)
5
Please give details of other activity if selected above. (Optional)
Other

Previous experience with the internet

Some questions about your use of the internet

6 a-r

How frequently have you encountered the following when using the internet?

-

1 - 1:Never

2 - 2

3 - 3

4 - 4

5 - 5:Always
Someone that you have not met face to face asked for your phone number
Someone that you have not met face to face asked about your interests or hobbies
Someone that you have not met face to face asked you to tell them your age and date of birth
Someone that you have not met face to face asked for your personal email
Someone that you have not met face to face asked for your full name
Someone that you have not met face to face asked you you to give them the name of your school/college/workplace
Someone that you have not met face to face asked you for your photograph
Someone that you have not met face to face asked you for your parents' names
Visited chat rooms that are not moderated (this means that someone checks and approves the messages sometimes before or after they appear)
Been bullied over the internet
Received unwanted sexual comments over the internet
Come across pornography on the internet
Been sent unsolicited (not asked for) sexual material over the internet
Come across violent or gruesome material on the internet
Come across racist or hateful material on the internet
Met someone face to face that you first met on the internet
Got junk e-mail or unwanted email
Have had personal information you disclosed misused by another person

Protecting yourself online

Use of instant messaging (MSN, Yahoo Messenger etc) and/or Blogs and/or message boards?

7
Do you use instant messaging and/or Blogs and/or message boards
1
Yes
2
No
8 a-f

When using instant messaging and/or Blogs and/or message boards which of the following do you usually do?

-

1 - 1:Never

2 - 2

3 - 3

4 - 4

5 - 5:Always
If you meet someone with common interests ask them to continue the discussion in a private window
Block messages from people you don't want to hear from
When you first meet someone new, focus the discussion on neutral topics instead of talking too much about your personal life
Hide your identity
Avoid posting photos or videos of yourself that can be viewed by anyone
Participate in forums that you know are not moderated

Use of email?

9
Do you use email?
1
Yes
2
No
10 a-b

When using email which of the following do you usually do?

-

1 - 1:Never

2 - 2

3 - 3

4 - 4

5 - 5:Always
When sending out news and updates of your life, send your friends individual emails instead of copying all of them into a single email
Delete emails so no-one can read them

Use of Social networking?

11
Do you use social networking?
1
Yes
2
No
12 a-c

When using social networking which of the following do you usually do?

-

1 - 1:Never

2 - 2

3 - 3

4 - 4

5 - 5:Always
Anonymize your online social networking profile (e.g. by using a nickname) so that other people cannot easily track you
When participating in social networking, change your profile's setting to be more private so that only people who are in your friends list can see your profile
When participating in social networking, change your profile's setting to be more private so that only people who are in your friends list can post comments and stuff in your profile

Use and registration on Commercial Website

13
Do you browse and/or register on commercial web sites?
1
Yes
2
No
14 a-e

When using a commercial web site which of the following do you usually do?

-

1 - 1:Never

2 - 2

3 - 3

4 - 4

5 - 5:Always
Register your information only on websites that have a privacy policy
Read the website's privacy policy before you register your information
Enter incomplete information when asked to provide personal information in a web site
Enter false information when asked to provide personal information in a web site
Watch for ways to control what people send you online (such as check boxes that allow you to opt-in or opt-out of certain offers)

The following questions are about your general computer use.

15 a-f

When using a computer which of the following do you usually do?

-

1 - 1:Never

2 - 2

3 - 3

4 - 4

5 - 5:Always
Minimise a browser window when someone comes into the room
Hide or mislabel files to keep them private
Check your computer for spy ware
Delete the history file (that shows the websites you have visited)
Delete unwanted cookies on your computer
Use a pop up window blocker
16 a
Your attitudes towards privacy In General, how concerned are you about your privacy while you are using the internet?
1
1:Never
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5:Always

Social Networking

General questions about your social networking activities

17
Do you have a social networking profile?
1
Yes
2
No
17 a
Which social networking sites do you use?
1
Bebo
2
Myspace
3
Facebook
4
Orkut
5
LiveJournal
6
Friendster
7
Plaxo
8
Twitter
9
Other (please specify)
Other
17 b
What is your main social networking site?
1
Bebo
2
Myspace
3
Facebook
4
Orkut
5
LiveJournal
6
Friendster
7
Plaxo
8
Twitter
9
Other (please specify)
Other
17 c
How long have you used your main social networking site?
1
Under two months
2
Between two months and six months
3
Between six months and a year
4
More than one year, but less than two
5
For more than two years
17 d
On average, how often do you visit your main social networking profile(s)?
1
More than once a day
2
Daily
3
Several times a week
4
Once a week
5
Less than weekly, but more than once a month
6
Once a month
7
Not applicable
17 e
How many hours a week do you spend on your main social networking site?
How many
17 f
How many friends do you have linked on your main social networking profile?
How many
17 g
Who do you think is currently viewing your main social networking profile? (tick all that apply)
1
Friends
2
People in my classes
3
Someone I met at a party
4
Family
5
Teachers or professors
6
School or college administration
7
Employers
8
Law enforcement
9
Government
10
My boyfriend or girlfriend
11
Total strangers
17 h
Who do you think will be viewing your main social networking profile in the future? (tick all that apply)
1
Friends
2
People in my classes
3
Someone I met at a party
4
Family
5
Teachers or professors
6
School or college administration
7
Employers
8
Law enforcement
9
Government
10
My boyfriend or girlfriend
11
Total strangers
18 a-d

Thinking about the information about yourself on social networking sites:

-

1 - 1:Strongly Disagree

2 - 2

3 - 3

4 - 4

5 - 5:Strongly Agree
I trust that my main social networking site will not use my personal information for any other purpose
I feel that the privacy of my personal information is protected by my main social networking site
I believe most of the profiles I view on my main social networking site are exaggerated to make the person look more appealing
I worry that I will be embarrassed by wrong information others post about me on my main social networking site
19 a-v

Thinking about your main social networking site, how frequently, if ever, do you do the following?

-

1 - 1:Never

2 - 2

3 - 3

4 - 4

5 - 5:Always
Finding out what old friends are doing now
Seeing what people have put as their status
Discovering apps because your friends have added them
Being tagged on photos
Quizzes
Reconnecting with people you have lost touch with
Tagging photos
Using advanced search to look for specific types of people
Maintaining relationships with people you don't get to see often
Applications within the social networking site
Viewing other people's friends
Connecting with people you otherwise would have lost contact with
Communication with likeminded people
Finding people you haven't seen for a while
Looking at the profiles of people you don't know
Contacting friends who are away from home
Sharing / posting photographs
Joining groups
Playing games
Browsing your friend's friends
Updating your own status
Chatting with your friends using an inbuilt chatting tool provided by the social networking site

About your Parents

Questions about the amount of influence your parents have over your use of the internet

20 a-m

Which of the following have your parents ever done to manage your internet use?

How often have they:

1 - Never done this

2 - Yes, once

3 - Yes, more than once
Checked your files or folders on a computer for content
Restricted the amount of time you are allowed online
Accessed your email or other account without your knowledge or consent
Accessed your email or other account with your knowledge
Restricted the type of activities you are allowed to use on the internet
Restricted use of a social networking site e.g Bebo
Viewed your profile on your social networking site without your knowledge or consent
Asked for a password to access a computer or folder
Installed filtering software to restrict access to certain types of sites
Installed monitoring software on a computer
Examined browser history or cache
Monitored your mobile telephone records
Examined the content of your phone without your knowledge or consent
s_outro_i
End of Survey
s_outro_ii
Thank you for completing this survey. We hope you found it enjoyable.
Name

Internet Use

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hhq: interviewer