The influence of parents versus peers on Generation Y Internet ethical attitudes

• We examine the parents versus peer influence on children’s online ethical attitudes.
• Protective parental style has the greatest impact on children.
• Strict discipline style has no significant influence on children.
• Peers are more influential if agreement between parents and children is lacking.
• We stress the methodological necessity to measure perceptions in family dyads.

We examine the role of parental style versus peer influence on Generation Y’s attitudes towards online unethical activities using a survey of a matched parent–child sample. Results suggest that a protective parental style has the greatest impact on Generation Y’s online ethical attitudes, while a strict discipline style has no significant influence. Peers are more influential, but not as influential as when there is agreement between parents and their children on a specific activity. Methodologically, the research highlights the necessity to measure family dyads and assess whether or not parents and their children’s perceptions are the same.