Children, carers, and community members as cocreators of digital well-being

Purpose This study examines children’s digital well-being through a stakeholder-driven, transdisciplinary research initiative. Understanding the multidimensional risks affecting a child’s digital well-being requires examining how stakeholders perceive and define the problem. The purpose of this research is to provide a deeper analysis of how the focal problem, identifying factors that influence a child’s digital well-being, should be framed. The author synthesizes insights from local agencies, teens, and medical practitioners to identify gaps in current framings and inform more comprehensive intervention strategies. In addition, this research offers insight beyond the context of digital well-being for scholars seeking to achieve societal impact through the process of stakeholder collaboration. Design/methodology/approach This research uses a stakeholder-driven approach to examine children’s digital well-being risks. Local agencies, teens, and medical professionals were engaged as active collaborators, ensuring a multi-stakeholder analysis. This research identifies and analyzes the most serious risks for children online, develops stakeholder-driven, collaboratively designed solutions, and promotes measurable improvements in children’s digital well-being through advocacy, education, and policy recommendations. This integrative approach bridges theoretical insights and practical interventions, fostering actionable solutions for policymakers, practitioners and educators seeking to enhance children’s digital well-being. Findings Local agencies contributed valuable data on child well-being, helping to identify community-specific digital health challenges. They integrated findings into workshops and parental resources. Over time, this project expanded to include teens and medical practitioners, with each contributing unique perspectives and expertise. Teens shaped the research agenda by sharing firsthand experiences of sharenting, dark design, and other online risks. They shaped research questions and contributed to peer-led digital literacy initiatives. Medical practitioners provided insights into the psychological and developmental effects of screen use and misuse. They applied research insights to refine their guidance on social media’s impact on adolescent mental health. Research limitations/implications Findings are derived from multimethod insights within specific geographic and institutional contexts, which may limit generalizability. In addition, while this research highlights a variety of risks to children’s well-being, evolving digital ecosystems and technologies require ongoing examination. For wider applicability, future work can incorporate alternative methodologies such as longitudinal analyses, as well as a broader range of diverse stakeholder perspectives, including industry leaders and policymakers. Practical implications Each partnership plays a critical role in co-developing solutions that facilitate digital well-being for children. Aligned with Transformative Consumer Research’s societal impact framework, this research integrates diverse stakeholder perspectives from project inception to implementation. This approach ensures that solutions are evidence-informed, actionable, and reflective of community needs. Social implications This research highlights a timely need for child-centered interventions that safeguard children's digital well-being. Findings help to inform teens, parents, educators, service and healthcare providers, and policymakers on addressing risks while promoting responsible digital engagement. Transdisciplinary collaboration can promote safer, developmentally appropriate environments for the internet’s youngest users. Ultimately, this work contributes to systemic change by advocating for evidence-based solutions that promote digital resilience among children, ensuring they can navigate online spaces safely while preserving their autonomy and well-being. Originality/value This impact-focused research advances scholar–stakeholder collaboration by integrating insights from local agencies, teens, and medical practitioners to address children’s digital well-being. While extant research primarily examines individual-level risks, this study adopts a transdisciplinary approach to analyze outcomes at the user, household, and community levels. By bridging scholarly research with real-world application, this study contributes impact-oriented solutions that inform both consumer protection efforts and child-centered digital design reforms.