Almost 90 per cent of kids have online access – and the age children are logging on is getting younger
A new report from Zeeko, an Irish EdTech start-up, found that 86 per cent of primary school pupils have access to a smart phone
ALMOST nine in ten kids have access to the internet - with almost half of kids using Snapchat by the age of 12.
A new digital trend report from Zeeko, an Irish EdTech start-up, found that 86 per cent of primary school pupils have access to a smart phone, tablet or iPod.
The survey of thousands of youngsters also found that the age that kids are accessing the internet is getting younger, with most first class students saying they first went online at 4.9 years old, while sixth class students first went online at 7.6 years old.
SnapChat is now tops for young people, having overtaken Instagram as the most popular social media app for kids.
Some 45 per cent of sixth class pupils - aged 11 to 12 - are now using SnapChat, according to the report.
Joe Kenny, Zeeko founder and CEO said: “There is no doubt the internet is a hugely beneficial resource for young people and something they will use more than the current generation.
“Internet safety is all about education. Particularly for younger children it is important to raise their awareness of online risks to give them the protection and coping strategies which will help them become confident digital citizens.”
The digital trend report is based on a survey carried out by Zeeko (www.zeeko.ie) with parents and teachers in 2016.
Some 4,439 primary school pupils completed a questionnaire about their internet use in 29 schools between September and November 2016.
A further 913 guardians of primary school pupils in 55 schools also completed a similar questionnaire.
According to the kids surveyed, 66 per cent say they know more about online games than their parents and 59 per cent claim to know about apps then their parents.
The report found that 34 per cent of primary school children have more than two hours screen time per day during weekdays, rising to 54 per cent having more than two hours screen time per day at the weekend.
Kids in third class reported the highest levels of online bullying - at 15 per cent, compared to just seven per cent of first classers.
Older boys were found to engage in riskier behaviour online compared to girls.
Thirty-four per cent of sixth class boys surveyed spoke with a stranger online, while 70 per cent played with a stranger online, and 60 per cent played an over 18 game online.
Zeeko was set up in 2013 by Joe Kenny, an entrepreneur and a parent concerned about the growing dominance of the internet in children’s lives.
It is headquartered at NovaUCD, the Centre for New Ventures and Entrepreneurs at University College Dublin.