Izvorni znanstveni članak
Deconstructing the media framing of the risks of technology overuse and parental responsibility in the Croatian context
Anita Šimić Bitunjac
; Osnovna škola "Dinko Šomunović", Hrvace
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* Dopisni autor.
Sažetak
This paper analyses the dominant media discourse on screen time in Croatian online media over a ten-year period (2014–2024). The analysis aimed to determine the prevailing sentiment regarding the overuse or misuse of technology and to identify and deconstruct key patterns in the media framing of related risks. The study examined a corpus of 289 articles collected from 19 of the most widely read online news websites using the TakeLab Retriever tool. The methodology combines quantitative content analysis, including sentiment analysis and framing analysis based on Entman’s model, with qualitative narrative analysis of selected articles. The results indicate a marked dominance of negative sentiment (more than 75%) and a shift in focus from physical risks, such as eye strain and musculoskeletal problems associated with sedentary behaviour, to mental risks, such as isolation and anxiety, cognitive risks, such as reduced concentration, and social risks, such as avoidance of face-to-face interaction. The qualitative analysis of the sample reveals a prevailing narrative of parental failure, in which parents are framed as responsible for these negative outcomes because of their lack of action or positive intervention. Such dominant framing reinforces audiences’ attribution bias, creating a climate of parental anxiety and guilt. The paper concludes that this media construction diverts public debate from the need for systemic solutions and regulation of the digital environment, instead recasting systemic issues as private matters.
Ključne riječi
individualisation of responsibility, media discourse, narrative analysis, screen time, parenting
Hrčak ID:
350282
URI
Datum izdavanja:
1.7.2026.
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