"Media critic Clark (dir., Estlow International Ctr. for Journalism & New Media, Univ. of Denver; "From Angels to Aliens") suggests ways to enable parents to negotiate their children's engagement with the Internet, social media, and mobile technology. Over 11 years, Clark and her research team conducted extensive interviews with dozens of families of different economic means in urban, suburban, and rural areas of the United States to learn about the impact of digital media on family life. Most of the book comprises an intriguing analytical narrative developed from the interviews. Clark finds that, generally, middle- and upper-middle-class parents respond to media use in terms of its utility for their children's self-expression and advancement, while parents with lower incomes prioritize the ways media use reinforces family closeness and mutual respect. VERDICT Clark notes that while new technology has brought significant change, including constant connectedness and a persistent trail of information, it has not changed the basics of teen development or heightened the dangers facing children. She concludes with a cogent set of recommendations--some at the family level and some at the policy level--addressing parenting behavior, inequitable access to technology, and the problems of a consumption-oriented society. Clark's treatment reflects her dual role as researcher and mother and will be of interest to both scholars and parents" (Library Journal)
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