Giovanna Mascheroni

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Giovanna Mascheroni is a leading scholar in the sociology of digital media and childhood, whose work critically examines how emerging technologies reshape children’s everyday lives. Her research centers on the Internet of Toys (IoToys)—internet-connected smart toys that blur the lines between play, datafication, and surveillance. Mascheroni’s major contributions include pioneering conceptual frameworks for understanding children’s “connected play” and the unique affordances of smart toys, as well as identifying pressing safety, security, and privacy risks these devices pose. Her highly cited 2016 paper, “Kaleidoscope on the Internet of Toys,” with 34 citations, provides foundational insights into the societal implications of this phenomenon. In her 2018 work, “Exploring the affordances of smart toys and connected play in practice” (32 citations), she re-frames children’s play within broader theoretical debates about datafication and digital agency. Mascheroni’s 2019 introduction to the Internet of Toys further solidifies her role as a key voice in this emerging field. Her research is instrumental for students and scholars examining the intersection of childhood, digital technologies, and privacy, offering critical perspectives on how connected toys are reshaping childhood in the age of the Internet of Things.