Bedtime is proving to be a particularly big challenge for British families, says an IT security product company. The advent of smartphones and tablets has transformed bedtime and the days of reading a book with a torch under the duvet are behind us, says Intel Security, which has brought out a report, “New Family Dynamics in a Connected World”.
It suggested that parents feel powerless about how to educate their children, with near three in ten (29pc) saying that they would monitor their children’s online activity if there was an easier way to do it.
It found that children are increasingly being left with gadgets in their room, further challenging parents to find a way to monitor and control their internet usage post-bedtime: about four in ten, 42pc of parents would choose to pause the internet in their household during bedtime if they could to stop their children from being distracted. And only 28pc of parents keep their children’s devices in their possession when their children shouldn’t be using them and allow their children to use the devices when the correct security measures are in place.
Nick Viney, VP of Consumer at Intel Security, says: “Technology has revolutionised our home lives, with many parents relying on devices to help their children with learning and entertainment. However, we need to empower parents to actively manage how their families interact with those devices, to ensure the benefits continue to outweigh the potential risks. When the correct security and privacy measures are taken, everyone in the family will feel more protected enabling them to fully enjoy all the benefits of living in a smart home.”
Advice
The IT firm advises that it’s easy to get caught up spending a lot of time on our devices, and kids pick up our habits – both good and bad. Set a positive example by limiting your time on social networks when at home and putting your phone away during dinner and family time. If you start talking about online safety early, it will make your job that much easier when your children get older. If your kids are young, start with simple rules such as: “don’t open emails from people you don’t know”.
Blog post from Gary Davis: http://www.securingtomorrow.mcafee.com/consumer/connected-family-smarthome-2017.
