It’s commendable that a smartphone maker would commission a survey that would lead to some serious concerns being raised about the impact of its devices on children.
But HMD (Human Mobile Devices and makers of Nokia phones) is happy to uncover all the issues, good and bad, so the industry can better serve kids and their parents. The research revealed more than 50 percent of parents regret giving their child a smartphone at a young age.
The average age is eleven.
“It’s clear that Australian parents are struggling to find the balance between giving their children the benefit and freedom of connectivity while also teaching them about the responsible use of technology,” said Brenden Folitarik, GM Australia and Oceania, HMD.
“This research is the first of an ongoing commitment from HMD to stay close to our consumers and be part of the solution.”
The study, commission by HMD, interviewed more than 10-thousand parents from five countries; United Kingdom, the United States, India, Germany and Australia. Two-thousand Australians were included in the study which was conducted this month – July 2024 – with parents 35-plus of children 5-16 years of age.
The survey is just part of the “Better Phone Project” – a commitment to create a new phone with input from parents, children and a range of other interested parties.
“The report backs up this aspiration with two-thirds of Australian parents saying they would like a “child-friendly” phone as they look for solutions to manage mobile phone usage.
“We’re delighted that HMD is committed to addressing the glaring gap in the market for child-friendly phones through this project,” said Joe Ryrie Co-founder of Smartphone Free Childhood.
“Their research into children and smartphones is yet more evidence of the impossible position that parents find themselves in today.
“We either give our children access to a device they might not be ready for, or choose not to and risk alienating them from their peers.”
Key Australian Findings:
– 77% of Australian parents think social media puts their children under too much pressure and is not good for their mental health (74%).
– 80% of Australian parents would like to see their school educate children on the dangers of social media, while a majority call for schools to ban phones.
– Smartphone use is a land of confusion for parents: 54% want more guidance and support to help them manage their child’s screen time and over 50% want the government to provide that guidance.
– 80% of Australian parents fear smartphones expose their children to stranger danger, with more than half admitting they don’t know what their children get up to when using their phones
– Two-thirds of Australian parents say they would like a “child-friendly” phone as they look for solutions to manage mobile phone usage
More Global Findings:
– 64% of parents questioned said smartphone use negatively impacts their child’s sleep
– 61% think it reduces the amount of physical activity they undertake
– More than half (54%) are worried that it will reduce the amount of time they spend socialising with friends.
– 75% of parents fearing smartphones expose their children to internet dangers, with more than half admitting they don’t know what their children get up to when using their phones.
– Almost half of parents believe mobile phone use has changed their child’s personality
– A third claim their child has body image issues due to their phones.
– 38% of parents feel there are ‘no solutions’.
HMD says it is keen to work with anyone interested in this subject. This includes Generation Z, influencers, policymakers, campaigners and support groups. They can sign-up to be involved at The Better Phone Project.
Additional Australian Insights
Nearly two-thirds of Australian parents fear their child’s phone use is impacting their learning
· 74% of Australian parents would like their child to spend less time on their smartphone
· Nearly two-thirds (60%) say their phones affect their learning
77% of Australian parents think social media puts their children under too much pressure and is not good for their mental health (74%).
· 77% of Australian parents think social media puts their children under too much pressure and is not good for their mental health (74%).
· Two-thirds (58%) fear their children might be bullied due to their smartphones (and being always on / connected)
80% of Australian parents fear smartphones expose their children to stranger danger, with more than half admitting they don’t know what their children get up to when using their phones
· More than half (56%) of Australian parents agree they don’t or won’t know what their children get up to when using their phones
· 80% of Australian parents fear smartphones put their children in danger from strangers
· While two-thirds (68%) fear it increases the chance they could be blackmailed
Smartphone use is a land of confusion for Australian parents: 54% want more guidance and support to help them manage their child’s screen time and over 50% want the government to provide that guidance.
· 54% of Australian parents say they want more guidance about how to get their child using screens less, while 53% want the government to provide that guidance
· This matches with the 47% of respondents who said that while there is a lot of advice about children and screen time available, they don’t know what to believe
Two-thirds of Australian parents say they would like a “child-friendly” phone as they look for solutions to manage mobile phone usage
· Two thirds (61%) of Australian parents say they have or will have to put together various different solutions to deal with their child’s phone use.
· 44% say they would like more control as parents but do not know where to begin
· It is not surprising, therefore, that two-thirds (65%) of Australian parents say they would like a child friendly phone to help them
69% of Australian parents admit their smartphone-free childhood meant they engaged more with their family – in contrast, 55% say their child’s phone use is a source of big arguments, while a third have cried over their child’s phone obsession.
· 55% of Australian parents report having had big arguments with their children over phone use, or suspect it will happen.
· Meanwhile, a huge 69% of Australian parents say that when reflecting back on their own childhoods, they spend more time engaging with their parents because they didn’t have a phone – and that their parents know more about them and their life as a result
80% of Australian parents would like to see their school educate children on the dangers of social media, while a majority call for schools to ban phones.
· A majority (64%) of Australian parents would like to see schools ban phones, while a huge 80% would like to see their school educate their children on the dangers of social media
· 75% think the social media companies themselves should do more about children’s phone usage
Almost half of parents admit mobile phone use has changed their child’s personality, with a third claiming their child has body image issues due to their phones
· 45% of Australian parents report a change in their child’s personality after they started using a mobile phone, 47% report a short attention span, and 38% think their child has been less able to express their emotions
· 27% say their child now has body image issues due to phone use and constantly being connected
46% of Australian parents regret handing over a smartphone to their child and wish they had waited longer, with a over a third citing they have seen negative side effects in their children.
· 46% of Australian parents wish they had waited longer to give their child a smartphone
· 63% say this because their child spends too much time on it, 43% because it is harder to take it away from them once they have it, and 38% have seen negative effects – a third (33%) say it has changed their personality
Over half of Australian parents think being able to know where their children are is a major benefit of smartphone ownership
· 59% say their child learns the technology that they are going to use for the rest of their lives
· Over half (54%) say phones are useful for tracking and knowing where they are
· While 44% say it gives them another way to interact with friends