New statistics released today have really driven this home, as it has emerged that Irish teens are more likely to hide their social media activity from their parents than their counterparts in the UK and across the pond in the US.
The revelation was made in The Digital Families 2015: Evolving Attitudes Around Social Media and App Use report, carried out by Ask.fm.
The study showed that over a quarter (27%) of Irish teens aged between 13 and 18 years admit to feeling the need to hide what they view online from their parents. This presents a stark contrast to the US and the UK, with 10% and 11% of teens respectively holding the same view.
The above statistics seem to match up well with those correlating to parents who worry about online bullying, with almost half (49%) of those surveyed admitting to concerns about their teens’ online activity. Another key area of concern for parents is a fear of children giving away personal details to strangers they meet online.
Commenting on the findings, Ask.fm’s Director of EU Safety Operations, Annie Mullins, said that teens “need to…be clear of the consequences of their actions” when they use the internet and social media.
