More Than Half of Five to Eight-Year-Olds Already Have a Mobile Phone or Tablet

Often, children receive their first mobile phone or tablet as a Christmas gift, forcing parents to establish basic rules for digital use and ensure their children's online safety, according to a statement on Wednesday. A guide is intended to provide support in this challenge.

Mobile Phones and Tablets Widely Used Among Children in Austria

The survey conducted by the US market research institute GutCheck revealed that online usage increases with age. Nearly half of all Austrian children spend one to three hours online daily (49 percent). Among five to eight-year-olds, it's 45 percent, and among nine to twelve-year-olds, it's 58 percent. 44 percent of 13 to 17-year-olds spend one to three hours, and the same number spend even three to six hours online. More than three-quarters of Austrian children have their own smartphone or tablet (77 percent). Among nine to twelve-year-olds, it's 81 percent. In the age group of 13 to 17-year-olds, nine out of ten own their own device.

Guide and Checklist Support Parents in Mobile Phone or Tablet Use

The majority of surveyed parents in Austria (79 percent) have discussed online safety with their children in the past year. In Germany, this figure is higher at 87 percent, Google reported from the survey conducted in several countries. 40 percent of parents find it difficult to find the right time for these conversations. Also, 48 percent of parents lack good examples to explain online safety. 87 percent believe that their child would come to them if they had a problem in the online world. 74 percent of parents limit the time their children are allowed to spend in front of screens. About a third (32 percent) also use technical tools. At the same time, more than 60 percent of parents of younger children find age-appropriate guides to online safety to be the most helpful tool to better educate their children. Google provides such guides.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.