Kids’ digital readiness is not dependent on age or owning a device, according to the first national study measuring it.
The study lands just as the under-16 social media ban is being tested, and it suggests the next step after delaying access to social networking services is teaching kids how to use devices once they do have access.
The Australian Digital Readiness Index, published earlier this month by the Digital Readiness Lab, surveyed 1029 parents and carers, each reporting on one child aged between 9 and 14. It measured three capabilities: managing screen use, judging the truthfulness of content, and asking for help when something goes wrong.
Why kids’ digital readiness doesn’t come with age
Older kids are better at judging what they see online, but not at moderating their own usage.
Around 46 percent of 14-year-olds were rated consistently capable of critical judgement, versus around 23 percent of 9-year-olds.
Self-regulation was roughly the same between groups, with 39 percent of 14-year-olds and 36 percent of 9-year-olds rated as able to consistently moderate their device usage.
Devices don’t appear to make a difference in digital readiness. Smartphone ownership, age at first phone, and years spent using devices showed no association with the three rated capabilities, suggesting experience alone is not enough for kids to learn good habits.
Family income and location did not serve as predictors either, together comprising less than 2 percent of differences in readiness between children.
Only one in eight children consistently showed all three capabilities, while just over 43 percent showed no consistent capabilities.
Parents are able to pick up on the effects. Just over 70 percent saw at least one sign their child wasn’t ready to go online. The most common sign was pushing past agreed time limits, and changes in sleep, mood, or schoolwork were also observed.
Parenting habits that make the difference
A few behaviours were linked with higher ratings in each of the index criteria, accounting for about one third of the gap in critical judgement and self-regulation.
Parents who explain the reasoning behind a rule about device usage, give their child a say in screen time limits, and find ways to provide more freedom with devices as the child shows they’re ready for it, see meaningfully better digital readiness outcomes.
Where parents used this approach, over 53 percent of children were capable of self-regulation against 22 percent where parents didn’t.
However, only about 40 percent of parents say they use that approach, and letting go can be hard. Just under 10 percent of parents feel comfortable granting independence online, and even 57 percent of parents whose child showed all three capabilities still don’t feel ready to hand over control.
About four in ten parents also find parental controls difficult to set up or pointless to use because kids would get around them.
Preparing kids to go online is only one part of the puzzle
The digital readiness index lines up neatly with the UNSW research we covered previously, showing that a combined approach results in better outcomes.
That research found that the age children first use social media tracks more closely with anxiety and depression symptoms than just having an account, but lead researcher Associate Professor Susanne Schweizer was clear that the delay works best when paired with training good digital hygiene and citizenship before the first use.
The ban sets when kids get access to social media, while readiness is what skills they bring with them. Based on the research, the easiest place to start isn’t setting an age gate or a restriction, but a conversation with your child about why rules exist in the first place.
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