According to a survey, the first uses of the Internet by children, with parental support, occur on average before the age of six.
- A survey by Toluna Harris Interactive, carried out for the association e-Enfance 3018, focuses on Internet use by children of the Alpha generation.
- Children generally start using the web at the age of 5 years and 10 months, accompanied by an adult.
- Nearly one out of two children aged 6 to 10 has their own smartphone.
How do children take their first steps on the Internet? And at what age? The e-Enfance / 3018 association, supported by Google, answered these questions, thanks to a investigation produced by Toluna Harris Interactive. According to this, children begin to use the Internet from the age of 5 years and 10 months, on average, accompanied either by an adult or by an older brother or sister. A year later, most of them are surfing the web alone.
Internet among children: what was the starting point of this survey?
The survey was carried out between February 6 and 14, 2023, with a sample of 616 parents of children aged 6 to 10 and 432 children aged 6 to 10. At the same time, discussion groups, in video and in the classroom, were created with children aged 7 to 9 and their parents. These age groups were chosen because they make it possible to understand the perception of “first generations of ‘digital native’ parents Internet use among their children.
Internet: what are the uses of children under 10?
According to the survey results, children are beginning to use the Internet for entertainment: they watch videos, use “creative applications” or listen to music”with the aim of relaxing, having fun and satisfying one’s curiosity”. 93% of parents say they know what their children are doing on the Internet, despite this, 60% say they are worried about their children’s use of the Internet. It is above all the content on which they could come across that arouses fears, more than the potential consequences of screens (time spent connected, developmental disorders, frustrations, etc.).
Children and the Internet: uses that intensify when the child has his own laptop
Yet one in two children say it’s hard to stop when using the internet. According to the authors of the survey, the times of use intensify and intervene more on the different time slots of the day among children who have their own mobile phone. 46% of 6-10 year olds have a phone, “for the majority of them for less than two years”. Among them, one in five children can use it whenever they want,”up to 28% of children in families where the parents are the youngest – 25/34 years old”. Generally, 6-10 year olds go online after school, but one parent in ten says their child sometimes goes online before school, or even in the evening before going to bed (13%).
To better regulate the use of the Internet by their offspring, many parents claim to take specific measures, such as parental control tools. Many say that tools dedicated to supporting children in their use of the Internet would interest them: website, explanation videos, training in schools, etc.
Screen and children: what are the current recommendations?
As a reminder, theHealth Insurance advises to apply the rule of 3 – 6 – 9 – 12 years with regard to screens. This means no screen before 3 years old, then between 3 and 6 years old, use of screens only accompanied by an adult, and never in the evening. From 6 to 9 years old, applications and other sites can be used to stimulate the creativity of the youngest. Finally, from 9 to 12 years old, use can be more independent, but rules and control tools must be put in place to limit the time spent in front of screens.
5 tips to limit the use of screens in your child ????????????????♂️????????
→ overexposure to screens can have an impact on health
????https://t.co/82JmIhb8FQ#TuesdayAdvice #children #screens #technology #smartphone #hcsmeufr pic.twitter.com/1GQWTamBp2– Paris Health Insurance (@CPAM_75) March 16, 2021
