Kaspersky Lab Study Reveals the Internet Can Be a Source of Family Conflict

Woburn, MA – July 13, 2016 –Kaspersky Lab today published the third part of its Growing Up Online global studyⁱ which found that the Internet and connected devices are having an impact on family relationships. Results showed that one fifth of parents (21 percent) and children (22 percent) say that the Internet can cause family tension, and one-in-three (31 percent) of parents believe the Internet isolates them from their children.

The survey study, which looked into the behaviors of children online, provides a glimpse into how the digital world is affecting family dynamics. Previously, parents might have been the first source for children seeking answers to questions, but 64 percent feel they are now no longer the primary contact point for their children and 23 percent of parents admitted that their kids now prefer to go online rather than talk to them for advice.

In addition to a feeling of separation caused by the Internet, families see an impact of connected devices on family dynamics as well. A third of parents (31 percent) criticized that their child has broken something on a connected device or infected it with a virus while online (30 percent) and a quarter (24 percent) has had to pay for something their child had ordered or downloaded. Although when it comes to connecting on social media, 58 percent of parents are friends with their children on social media platforms, which rises to 76 percent of parents in the United States.

Andrei Mochola, Head of Consumer Business at Kaspersky Lab said: “It is only natural that using – and misusing – each other’s connected devices can become a cause of conflict for families. However, as we spend more and more time online, family dynamics are also changing. It is important that families maintain an ongoing dialogue about how to spot and respond to potential dangers, with parents and children together agreeing on the basic rules on how they can best navigate the digital world. It is also important to be serious about protection. We recommend installing an integrated home Internet security solution on all devices in the home. This should be enhanced with Parental Control software, which can block access to inappropriate sites or apps and prevent sensitive data from being shared or deleted.”

Janice Richardson, Senior Advisor at European Schoolnet, adds: “Although Internet becomes a source of conflict in some families, a recent studyⁱⁱ by the Joint Research Center of the European Commission interestingly underlines an emerging trend, with siblings and extended family members taking on a much bigger role in children’s online activities. Unsurprisingly, children are instinctively turning to the person they perceive to be able to fix technical issues, advise on sites and security tools and provide more objective responses to delicate queries. This underlines the importance of parents and guardians developing their own technical competence and building trusting relationships with their children whilst also establishing basic rules on Internet and device usage to avoid conflicts. At the same time, software and social media providers, too, should seek to develop more ‘family-friendly’ tools.”

For more useful advice on protecting children on the Internet, visit kids.kaspersky.com. Information about a technical solution to these problems can be found at Kaspersky Safe Kids.

About Kaspersky Lab

Kaspersky Lab is a global cybersecurity company founded in 1997. Kaspersky Lab’s deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into security solutions and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, governments and consumers around the globe. The company’s comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection and a number of specialized security solutions and services to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. Over 400 million users are protected by Kaspersky Lab technologies and we help 270,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more at www.kaspersky.com.

About European Schoolnet

European Schoolnet (EUN) is the network of 30 European Ministries of Education based in Brussels. As a not-for-profit organization, it aims to bring innovation in teaching and learning to key stakeholders: Ministries of Education, schools, teachers, researchers, and industry partners. To fulfill its goals, EUN develops, coordinates and implements a broad range of projects and services including the promotion of digital citizenship skills and broader take up of science education in schools, aiming to attract children towards science, technology, engineering and math. Learn more at http://www.europeanschoolnet.org.

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Media Contact:
Denise Bertrand
781.503.1836
Denise.bertrand@kaspersky.com

ⁱ This research was undertaken by iconKids & Youth, surveying online 3,780 families with children aged 8-16 (one parent and one child per family) in the following countries: USA, France, UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Russia.

ⁱⁱ Chaudron, S. et al (2015) Young children (0-8) and digital technology: a qualitative exploratory study across seven countries. JRC 93239, Joint Research Center, European Commission. http://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC93239