Aussie Kids Spending 22 Hours A Week On Smartphones

Aussie Kids Spending 22 Hours A Week On Smartphones
John Bastick
By John Bastick



Parents often bemoan that their children spend too much time on gadgets and tablets; yet the question remains – why did they give it to them in the first place?

New research from Telstra has revealed Aussie youngsters are becoming as addicted to smartphones as their parents have become. The research found that 68 per cent of Aussie kids aged under 17 own a smartphone and spend, on average, 21 hours and 48 minutes a week using the thing.

Telstra’s online survey of 1365 parents said their chief concerns about their precocious  sprogs and their phones was around the time they spent on the devices and the risks around cyber safety and sending rude photos of themselves to friends.

The survey – compiled by Maidstone Consulting and Empowered Communications – revealed that two-thirds of parents had discussed the amount of time they spent on the devices with their children, while 25 per cent admitted they’d done nothing about it.

It also deduced that children shouldn’t be given a phone until about their 13th birthday and then it shouldn’t be a smart one.

The survey’s other findings included:

  • 12 is the average age an Australian child gets their first smartphone.
  • 10 year olds spend an average 14.7 hours on their phones.
  • 17 year olds spend an average 26.3 hours on their phones.
  • 54 per cent of those who own smartphones also own a tablet.
  • Facebook, instant messaging and Snapchat are the most annoying apps, according to the parents surveyed.



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