Trend Micro: Nearly half of Australian children begin using mobile devices from the age of three

Nearly half of Australian children begin using mobile devices at the age of three, and own their own device by the time they're eight according to a survey undertaken by Trend Micro.

Nearly half of Australian children begin using mobile devices at the age of three, and own their own device by the time they're eight according to a survey undertaken by Trend Micro. The survey had 1,010 respondents with an even spread of parents of children aged 3-7, 8-11 and 12-25. 50% of the respondents were male, and 50% female.

“With mobile devices being such a huge part of everyday life for Australian youth, and children spending so much time online, it is crucial for parents to be highly aware of how they can best protect their kids,” said Tim Falinski, Director, Consumer, Australia and New Zealand at Trend Micro. “It is reassuring to see the results that Australian parents are educating their children about how to stay safe online, however with 32% of parents feeling that their children don’t understand online safety, clearly there is still a way to go with educating children on using the internet safely.”

Key findings from the survey are as follows:

Top Ten Facts about how Australian Children are using Mobile Devices
1. On average, Australian parents believe the most appropriate age for children to start using mobile devices is 10 years old however nearly half begin using mobiles devices at age three and own their own device by the time they’re eight years old.
2. Two out of three 12 to 15 year olds own their own mobile device to use for games, education and social media.
3. 66% of three to seven year olds use tablets and 40% of 12 to 15 year olds prefer to use smartphones as their mobile devices of choice.
4. Majority of children between 8 and 15 years old are using their mobile devices between 1-3 hours per day.
5. Games and mobile apps are the main reason children between 3 and 11 are using mobile devices.
6. 23% of kids aged 12-15 are more likely to use their mobile devices for social media, with 32% using them for games and mobile apps.
7. 70% of parents are more accepting of mobile devices being used for educational purposes than ever before, believing it will equal an educational advantage compared to past generations.
8. Parents find using mobile devices for educational benefits allows their children to stay up to date with the most accurate information with 7 out of 10 parents saying they use mobile devices for education.
9. Children are most likely to use their mobile devices when they’re at home instead of at school, on the go or when hanging with friends.
10. Younger children are more likely to spend time watching television where 58% of 12 to 15 year olds will use their mobile devices instead of watching TV.

Top Five Facts about Online Safety for our Children
1. The biggest concern for parents surveyed about their children
using mobile devices was their access to inappropriate content followed closely by health-related issues.
2. 3 out of 5 parents say their child/children use passwords and antivirus or security software as protection on their mobile devices
3. On average, 11% of parents surveyed don’t use any form of mobile security for their children.
4. Majority of parents surveyed talk to their children about online safety when they’re between eight and 15 years old.
5. 68% of parents surveyed are confident their children understand the importance of online safety.

To celebrate the many positive ways children are using mobile devices safely, Trend Micro is running a competition for children aged 8 – 18 called ‘What’s Your Story'. Our very own Charlie Brown is excited to be one of the judges. 

Source: Press Release