It can be hard, during the Covid-19 crisis, to minimise or manage your child’s use of screens. Left more often to their own devices, kids aged 12 to 16 have doubled their internet and social media use from 3 to 6+ hours a day, says a new Cybersmile Foundation report.
So how do our digital-native kids feel their relationship to tech is affecting them – and do they think parents can help them if they need it?
Cybersmile – a charity that tackles online abuse and cyberbullying and promotes kindness, diversity and inclusion – talked to 1,000 UK children aged 12 to 16 about screentime, smartphone addiction and their parents’ involvement in their online lives and found that…
60% feel that the time they spend online negatively impacts other important areas of their life including sleep, diet, exercise and study
46% consider themselves addicted to their smartphone
18% would like their parents to help them more with reducing the amount of time they spend online
The new Digital Wellbeing 2020 report is an illuminating snapshot of girl/boy attitudes and behaviour, asking…
1) How much time do you spend online each day?
NOW BEFORE LOCKDOWN
5-6 hours 28% 12%
3-4 hours 24% 40%
7-8 hours 20% 4%
9-10 hours 9% 2%
10-12 hours 7% 1%
1-2 hours 6% 38%
13-14 hours 2% 1%
15-16 hours 1% <1%
17-18 hours 1% 1%
No time online 1% 1%
More than 18 hours <1% <1%
Less than 1 hour <1% 1%
2) Do you feel that the amount of time you spend online negatively impacts other important areas of your life such as sleep, diet, exercise or study?
Yes, a little 51%
No, not at all 40%
Yes, a lot 9%
3) Would you consider yourself to be addicted to your smartphone?
No 52%
Yes 46%
I don’t have a smartphone 2%
4) Does your internet or social media use negatively affect your mental and/or physical heath?
No 65%
Both mental and physical 14%
Mental 12%
Physical 9%
5) Would you like your parents to help you more with reducing the time you spend online?
I don’t want to reduce the amount of time I spend online 49%
No 32%
Yes 18%
6) Would you feel comfortable going to your parents with an online-related problem?
Yes 82%
No 18%
7) Have you ever felt that your parents’ internet or social media use has affected their ability to look after you?
No 89%
Yes 9%
My parents don’t use the internet or social media 2%
Have a look at Cybersmile’s full Digital Wellbeing 2020 report in all its infographic glory here