Ofcom: Almost a quarter of kids aged 5-7 have smartphones
www.bbc.com
The regulator calls the data a "wake up call", and says parents and industry need to do more.

Nearly a quarter of UK five-to-seven-year-olds now have their own smartphone, Ofcom research suggests.

Social media use also rose in the age group over last year with nearly two in five using messaging service WhatsApp, despite its minimum age of 13.

The communications regulator warned parental enforcement of rules “appeared to be diminishing.”

It also said the figures should be a “wake up call” for the industry to do more to protect children.

In its annual study of children’s relationship with the media and online worlds, Ofcom said the percentage of children aged between five and seven who used messaging services had risen from 59% to 65%.

The number on social media went up from 30% to 38%, while for livestreams it increased from 39% to 50%. Just over 40% are reported to be gaming online - up from 34% the year before.

Over half of children under 13 used social media, contrary to most of the big platforms’ rules, and many admitted to lying to gain access to new apps and services.

  • schnurrito@discuss.tchncs.de
    0·
    7 months ago

    We used to call this “democratization of technology” and say it was a good thing. Why are we now that it is happening supposed to think it is a bad thing?

    I am glad I do not have or want children. I would not want to be in a position where I might be the one controlling someone else’s access to information. I do not know at what age I would buy a smartphone for them, but I do know that if they had one they would be allowed to use it freely without surveillance.

    • EtherWhack@lemmy.world
      0·
      7 months ago

      Unmonitored or unrestricted, no. Just no…

      There are too many bad people out there and young children don’t always know how to keep their info hidden. The risk is just too high. Even one out of a million kids finding one of those unsavory people, would be too much. Think about if your hypothetical child found that one child predator and they got them to share whatever, like pictures; their school/schedule; etc.

      Just look at roblox, a game more or less built and intended for children. There’s been quite a few reports of kids being preyed upon to which they have several lawsuits against them for giving a false sense of safety.

      E: fixed name

      • Dark Arc@social.packetloss.ggEnglish
        0·
        7 months ago

        I grew up with stranger danger … and honestly fuck that philosophy. I do not support normalizing invasive surveillance and restricting the Internet in the name of “safety.”

        Yes, there are bad people in the world but there are also a lot of good people. It’s better to teach people what to look out for and to keep an open line of communication and trust vs “this is the great firewall of our house” and scaring them away from any and all strangers.

        The people I grew up with that have the most issues as adults have come from the most authoritarian, paranoid, (and typically religious) households by far.

    • FenrirIII@lemmy.world
      0·
      7 months ago

      Please don’t have children then, because you really don’t understand the reality of a connected world.