There's a lot of anxiety around how young people, particularly teenagers, use the internet but new research by Talk Talk suggests some of these fears may be emphasized too much.
In a recent study, 2,000 young people aged 13-16 year olds and the parents of the same teenagers, were interviewed about their attitudes to technology and loneliness. The teens were mainly optimistic about technology and its uses. Over half (71 percent) said that during times when they felt lonely, tech provided a solution to their loneliness such as enabling them to make new friends, receive support and advice, as well as read positive comments online.
However, social media was regarded as a cause for feeling lonely by 12 percent of teens, who said they felt lonely because they didn't have many friends on social media.
When it comes to the parents, on the other hand, it demonstrated that there is an education gap between worrying about the internet, and knowing what to do about it.
For instance, 70 percent of parents worry bout their teens using the internet, but 65 percent said they did not limit the hours their teen spends using social media and tech, and 70 percent reported they don't use parent protection controls and software. Around 37 percent said they feel ill-equipped or unsure about how to manage their teens online.
It seems like when it comes to teens on the internet, the main issue is with the parents not understanding what they're doing. Research by Oxford University academics found there was little evidence between screen time and mental health in teenagers. The study used a mixture of self-reporting techniques as well as time-use diaries.
The research reflected another study earlier this year by the same academics that found technology use explains at most 40 percent of adolescent wellbeing (幸福安乐).
We're still learning about how things like social media impact our health and wellbeing, but at least in this instance, it demonstrates that the Generation Z's digital understanding nature means they may have more of a hold on tech and its effects than their parents do.
If you are a parent and worrying about your child's screentime use, security company Norton has put together a handy guide on how to manage it, such as setting limits on screen time, and talk about the risks of sharing private information on social media.
