Woburn, MA – December 5, 2019 – A recent global study conducted by Kaspersky has found that 52% of parents trust their kids to self-regulate their online activity. However, 70% of parents admit that they themselves spend too much time online and 72% feel that internet and mobile device usage, in general, is impeding family life.
There is little doubt that digital activities can be addictive, and seriously distract children from real-world adventure. But over half of modern parents trust their children when it comes to time dedicated to the internet. This practice is more common among fathers, 57% of whom trust their children to know when to take a break, compared to less than half (48%) of moms.
But it’s not just a matter of time spent on devices. Forty percent of parents do not feel the need to control their children’s online activities at all. This could be a risky strategy since, despite kids’ familiarity with the internet, cyber-risks are only a click away.
The survey also found that parents are not restrictive about their own mobile phone habits or the amount of time spent on the internet: 70% recognized that they are somewhat addicted to the web. Eighty-four percent of them admitted that they have used internet-connected or mobile devices in front of their child or children at home, and half of parents (51%) have sometimes allowed internet and mobile devices to interrupt a conversation with their children.
“Internet and digital services offer kids a wide range of engaging content, and can take ahold of their attention for a long time,” said Marina Titova, head of consumer product marketing at Kaspersky. “It must also be remembered that the real world can be even more engaging, especially if parents are ready to invest their time and spend it together with kids, doing joint activities. This time is actually even more important and valuable for families and friends, to connect, create special bonds and share memories.”
To help your children allocate their time appropriately online, Kaspersky recommends taking the following steps:
- Show your care by putting down your device at moments when your children need your attention
- If you feel your child is spending too much time online, don’t rush to put limits in place. Instead, discuss it with them calmly, so as not to provoke a negative reaction which could do damage in the long term
- Make leisure time more varied and appealing so your child actively wants to spend time away from their device. This could involve trying out a new sport or doing more activities as a family
- Discuss ground rules around social media use and other communications tools, so it does not affect school work or interaction with friends in the real world
- Introduce rules for the whole family, so children don’t feel singled out or unfairly restricted in their internet use. This could include no phones at the dinner table, having a curfew on device usage or even leaving devices downstairs at bedtime
- The Family edition of Kaspersky Security Cloud incorporates Kaspersky Safe Kids, which will help to guard your family and private data, as well as protect your kids online and beyond
For further advice on how to keep your children safe online, read renowned psychologist Emma Kenny’s post with her top tips on tackling online safety conversations here.
About Kaspersky
Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity company founded in 1997. Kaspersky’s deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative 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 technologies and we help 270,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more at usa.kaspersky.com.
Media Contact:
Sawyer Van Horn
781.503.1866
sawyer.vanhorn@kaspersky.com
