24/02/2014
Australian parents are allowing their children to use smart devices without constant adult supervision
AUSTRALIA – 24 February, 2014 – Australian parents are allowing their children to use smart devices for activities such as surfing the web and streaming online content without constant adult supervision, according to a new study from Kensington.
The survey, which was hosted on Australia's leading pregnancy and parenting website portal, The Bub Hub, found that almost all Australian parents (99 per cent) allow their children to use their smartphones or tablets. More than half (55 per cent) allow their children to access online content unsupervised or only monitored from time to time.
In addition to using educational apps (86 per cent), listening to music (47 per cent) and looking at photos (69 per cent), parents also allow children to play non-educational games (55 per cent), surf the web (13 per cent) and download content; with almost one in three (32 per cent) parents surveyed allowing their children to stream videos and movies off the internet through a smart device.
Aussie kids are already using technology to stay connected, with respondents allowing their children to use a smart device to make calls (15 per cent), use social media, Skype or FaceTime (10 per cent) and send SMS messages (7 per cent). The survey also signalled a proliferation of mobile technology in family homes, with 95 per cent of respondents owning at least one smart device.
Sam Goldstein, marketing and business development manager at Kensington Australia, suggests the prevalence is changing the way Australians use technology to engage, educate and entertain children.
“Kensington is in the business of designing accessories to protect smart devices, so we wanted to increase our understanding of the ways families, parents and children use theirs,” he said. “The survey found parents are not only using devices to entertain or distract children; but also for activities such as education and therapy, and in places as diverse as camping or even while at church.”
Co-founder of The Bub Hub, Brad Lauder says, “Parents are always looking for new tools and tricks to keep their kids entertained, so it’s not surprising they are now using new technology for this purpose. Tablets and smartphones are simply replacing the rattles of the past, they just happen to be a lot less annoying in public places.”
In the hands of children, accidents can happen and often result in damage. Almost 80 per cent of parents surveyed reported their children have damaged their smart devices, mainly from dropping them on hard surfaces, yet less than half those surveyed claim to use protective covers. For 44 per cent of respondents, children had caused between $200 and $1,000 worth of damage to their smart devices.
“It is interesting to see that while parents are happy to allow their children to use their smart devices unsupervised, they are also reporting high levels of damage at a significant cost,” said Goldstein. “Protecting smart devices with a suitable hard or gel case is the most effective solution to general damage prevention; but it’s the smallest fingers that can cause the biggest breaks. A more robust solution – like our range of SafeGrip Rugged Cases for iPad – is required to keep devices safe when being used by children.”
Methodology
Kensington conducted consumer research with 368 Australian parents, assessing the usage habits and value of damage associated with children using internet-enabled smart devices. The survey was hosted on The Bub Hub, a leading Australian pregnancy and parenting website during November 2013.
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About Kensington
Kensington, a leader in smart. safe. simple.™ computing accessories, is the recognised industry standard trusted by enterprises around the world. Kensington's mobile security product offerings include laptop and mobile security locks providing a new generation of front-line protection for mobile devices. In addition, Kensington offers accessories including power adaptors, chargers, mice, keyboards, trackballs, universal docking stations, desktop accessories, carrying cases and iPad/iPhone/iPod accessories. Kensington Computer Products Group, headquartered in Redwood Shores, California, is the technology division of ACCO Brands (NYSE: ABD), a world leader in branded office products, with products marketed in more than 100 countries across the globe. For more information, visit www.kensington.com.