It should be noted that for a long time, parents have believed that video games do not benefit children's development, with 41% of parents holding this view. At the same time, another 11% of parents believe that these games are not entirely without positive significance.
According to a recent survey conducted by British media, about half of parents believe that social networks and their applications have a negative impact on their children. However, only 13% of parents believe that browsing social websites and using social applications is beneficial for children's healthy development, which is only a quarter of the former group.
According to a previous poll conducted by the Ipsos Mori research agency in the UK, the proportion of parents who believe that e-books and browsing popular websites are beneficial for children reached 53% and 46%, respectively, while reading emails has long been widely recognized as something that has positive significance for children's growth. In terms of time allocation, about 61% of parents believe that the amount of time children spend watching television is appropriate, and 58% of parents believe that children do not spend too much time on computers and console games. Moreover, about 60% of parents indicate that their children have sufficient time to play with friends, while another 22% of parents deny this.
Many media outlets have previously speculated that the biggest concern for parents currently is that children are overly addicted to smartphones, with this concern accounting for about 26% of the survey. However, most parents view this issue quite casually, as a larger proportion of parents believe that the time children spend using smartphones is "relatively appropriate."
Simon Atkinson, Assistant Chief Executive of Ipsos Mori, stated: "This latest survey shows the current concerns of British parents regarding their children's use of the internet, with social networks and video games being the primary concerns. However, parents are also very aware of the benefits that come from children reading e-books or browsing websites. Moreover, most of these parents believe that the time their children spend online is reasonable and do not feel that they are excessively addicted to the internet or smartphones."
"There is no doubt that the internet has become an integral part of most British people's lives. The question now is how we can continue to provide children with access to a wealth of resources, information, and interactive experiences while minimizing the potential negative impacts of the internet on them." Atkinson concluded.
