Many Children Go Online Unsupervised, Survey Finds
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Mypurgatoryyears(NEW YORK) — Going online is second nature for kids today, but a new survey finds a significant majority are hitting the Internet without an adult overseeing what they’re viewing.
According to the survey of 1,000 families by AVG Technologies N.V., a provider of Internet and mobile security services, 64 percent of the parents surveyed with children under 7 admit to letting their kids spend time on the Internet while they’re not in the same room.
The survey also finds 33 percent of respondents plan to buy their child a mobile device this year.
The survey, which involved families in the U.S., Canada and the U.K., also found 73 percent of respondents would consider giving their kids a device that they had not used themselves.
According to the survey, only 26 percent of the parents surveyed are currently using any kind of restricted profile or kid zones on their children’s devices despite 82 percent being aware of the option.
The survey also found parents feeling pressure to get their kids the latest tech devices. Sixty-eight percent of the moms and dads surveyed admit feeling “pester pressure” from their children, while 52 percent admit feeling pressure from their children’s peers.
The survey did find some positive indications that at least some parents were taking responsibility when it came to the devices they give their kids. Eighty-nine percent research devices for their children before buying them, and 75 percent believe technology should come with age recommendations.
Fifty-three percent said they always read instructions for devices given to children, and 62 percent are always involved in the device setup.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio