Challenges and Strategies of Filipino Parents on Social Media Use of Gen Alpha Children: Learnings from MIL Parenting Webisode

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to identify the challenges Filipino parents encounter regarding their children's social media usage and examine how they monitor and regulate this behavior. Additionally, the study explored parents' learnings after watching a media and information literacy (MIL) webisode designed to teach digital parenting strategies. Utilizing a qualitative case study design, in-depth interviews were conducted with seven parents of Generation Alpha children aged 3 to 10. Findings revealed that parents actively struggle with regulating device screen time, safeguarding socio-emotional well-being, preventing exposure to inappropriate content, and protecting physical health, alongside managing work-life balance. Crucially, the study contributes to the field of Media and Information Literacy by highlighting "MIL parenting" as a vital subfield; participants underscored the urgent necessity for large-scale, structured MIL educational programs tailored specifically for parents navigating the digital age. This work fills a critical gap in MIL literature by shifting the focus from student-centered interventions to family-wide digital literacy frameworks. Furthermore, it offers empirical evidence to help policymakers and educators design targeted media literacy initiatives that empower households against modern digital risks.