Children ‘free to roam web at very early age’

INFANT school children are increasingly online and being given more digital independence by their parents, according to a new study from Ofcom.

The communications regulator said around a quarter (24%) of five-toseven-year-olds now own a smartphone, and threequarters use a tablet computer.

In its annual study of children’s relationship with the media and online worlds, Ofcom said the number of children aged between five and seven who go online to send messages or make voice and video calls had risen 6% on last year to 65%, while half now watch livestreamed content, up from 39%.

The use of social media sites has also risen, with 38% of five-to-sevens now said to be using social media platforms, with Whatsapp, Tiktok, Instagram and Discord in particular seeing growth – despite these sites requiring users to be at least 13 years old.

In addition, the study also found that while 42% of parents said they used social media with their child, 32% said their child used social media independently.

The number of parents of younger children who said they were more likely to allow their child to have a social media profile before they reached the minimum age required has also risen, Ofcom said, from 25% to 30%.

Ofcom’s report says: “While parental concerns have increased, their enforcement of rules appears to be diminishing, in part perhaps because of resignation about their ability to intervene in their children’s online lives.”

It adds that while parents, in general, still feel there are positives to their children being online, concerns around some aspects of it remain.

Over the period, although parents have on balance felt positive, there has been an increase in uncertainty.