Majority of Kids Gain Access to Cell Phones by the Age of Seven
In a recent study conducted by the digital association Bitkom in Berlin, the trends in children's digital access and social media use in Germany have been explored. Here are some key findings:
Early Smartphone Adoption
The study reveals that smartphone use begins early in Germany, with most children using one by the age of 7, and many owning their own by age 9.
Parental Restrictions on Social Media
Among 6- to 9-year-olds, 77% of parents do not allow their children to have social media accounts at all. For children aged 10 to 12, parents increasingly allow shared use or their own profiles, but restrictions remain significant.
From age 13 onwards, most children are allowed full access to social media. 80% of parents permit their 13- to 15-year-olds to have their own identifiable social media profiles, with prohibitions dropping to just 3% in this group. By 16 to 18 years old, restrictions mostly disappear, with almost all teenagers having their own social media accounts with parental consent.
Age Recommendation for Smartphone Ownership and Social Media Use
Experts recommend that children should ideally receive their first smartphone and full social media access around the age of 12 to 13 years, when they are better able to understand internet dangers and protect themselves.
Parental Controls and Rules
Parents tend to impose rules such as time limits and usage controls, especially for children under 10, to ensure age-appropriate exposure and safety online.
Other Findings
- At seven, most German children use a PC or laptop, at eight, a tablet, and at nine, a gaming console.
- By the age of 9, many German children own their own smartphone.
- Only 3% of parents forbid the use of social media for children aged 13 and above.
- Children in Germany first encounter the television at the age of 4 for media usage.
- By the age of 16, most restrictions fall away, with none of the surveyed parents forbidding 16 to 18-year-olds from using social media.
- The Bitkom survey indicates that many parents in Germany give their children smartphones too early.
In conclusion, while many children gain smartphone access earlier, the recommended age for full smartphone ownership and social media use, supported by safety experts, is around 12 to 13 years old. Parents should consider implementing controls and rules to ensure their children's safety online.
- The study reveals that while children in Germany often own smartphones by the age of 9, experts recommend that children should ideally wait until around age 12-13 to fully embrace technology, including social media, for a more sensible and safe lifestyle.
- In the realm of education-and-self-development, parents of younger children tend to take advantage of technology by employing rules such as time limits and usage controls to provide age-appropriate access and protect their children from various online dangers, as demonstrated in the report by Bitkom.
