Parents can toss out the owner’s manual for that new smartphone or tablet—they can get all the digital assistance they need from their teens. According to Jan Van den Bulck, professor of communication studies at U-M, more children are guiding their parents on how to use digital media, especially newer media forms such as smartphones, tablets and apps. But the assistance is not without possible conflict. Many parents may feel a loss in authority in the traditional power structure because their children are the technology experts, said Van den Bulck, who co-authored the study. Researchers wanted to document to what extent children are perceived to be active agents in their parents’ digital media guidance.
