Parents are increasingly concerned that tech screen time is eating into family time and damaging children’s health, a study says, but children’s overall digital wellbeing is improving.
The annual study from online safety charity Internet Matters surveys 1,000 families on their digital habits.
Its latest report found parents have growing concerns that time on devices is cutting into traditionally family-oriented time, while 63% of parents asked also said they believe time spent online is negatively affecting their children’s health.
Some 50% said they were concerned that screen time was impacting on their children’s sleep.
However, the study found that overall, children’s digital wellbeing was improving, with rising numbers of young people noting they were experiencing the benefits of being online – such as feeling more confident and part of a group, more creative and more empowered.
But some concerning online activity was highlighted by the study – almost half of 15 and 16-year-old girls said strangers had tried to contact them, up from only three-in-10 in 2022.
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