Survey: More than half of children think life without the internet boring

Digital media have become an integral part of the everyday lives of most children and young people in Germany; especially following the coronavirus crisis, many children have become addicted to the media. On average, all age groups surveyed – starting from the age of six – use smartphones for two hours a day. A total of 92 percent of children and young people use the internet. This was the result of a representative survey conducted by the digital association Bitkom.

The results of the survey are based on self-reports from more than 900 children and young people. It indicates that the average smartphone usage rises sharply with increasing age. While 6 to 9-year-olds spend an average of 37 minutes a day on their smartphone, 16 to 18-year-olds already spend more than three hours.

The main activities with the smartphone are sending text messages (90%), listening to music, radio plays or podcasts (89%) and taking photos or videos (82%). However, social media and learning programs are also used by many.

Life without social media unimaginable for a third

52% of children and young people aged 10 and over find life without the internet boring. 93% of children and young people aged between 10 and 18 use social networks, with the video platform YouTube –, which is used by many as a communication platform –, being the most popular at 87%. The average usage time is 95 minutes per day. A third of respondents cannot imagine life without social media.

Despite the widespread use of digital media, there are also concerns about online safety. For example, 76 percent of 10 to 18-year-olds stated that they know how to adjust their privacy settings on social networks – 72 percent of them had already changed these settings.

Negative online experiences

The study also shows that children and young people come into contact with stressful topics online. For example, 39% of internet users aged 10 and over have read hate remarks about others and 33% have seen scary content online, such as depictions of violence.

In order to preventnegative experiences with the internet and digital media, not only "technical and personnel resources are needed for the police and investigating authorities". Parents' media skills are also needed, but schools must make children and young people aware of the Internet, explains to Bitkom Managing Director Dr. Ralf Wintergerst. This is one of the reasons why Bitkom and others regularly call for computer science to be introduced as a compulsory subject at secondary school level I throughout Germany.

(mack)