New research commissioned by Snapchat shows that while 82 per cent of Australian parents are aware of online safety tools designed to help young people stay safer online, three in five (57 per cent) still aren’t using them on apps and online platforms.
The study also found that parents of teenagers are far less likely to use parental controls than parents of primary school aged children, those who are 5-12.
The survey of over 1000 Australian parents of young people aged under 18, examined awareness levels, uptake and attitudes towards online safety parental tools across the devices, apps and platforms used by their families. The results revealed a valuable opportunity to boost adoption, to help protect the safety and wellbeing of young people online, especially as they move into the teen years.
Susan McLean, an Australian online safety expert, said “While awareness of parental controls is growing, too many Australian parents still aren’t utilising the options available to them as they grapple with parenting in a digital world that many didn’t experience when they themselves were growing up.
“When young people become teenagers, often getting a mobile phone for the first time, their use of technology can increase substantially. So using parental tools is just as important for families with high schoolers at home, to help ensure they are set up for safer experiences online”, she said.
To support parents and carers, Snapchat offers a range of tools and resources designed to help families navigate Snapchat with their teens, safely and confidently. This includes Family Centre, an in-app hub that helps parents see who their teens are friends with and talking to on Snapchat, set content controls, share locations to stay connected while out and about, and confidentially report concerns.
The survey found that when Australian parents do use parental tools, the overwhelming majority find them helpful. Of the 66 per cent that have used online safety parental controls, 92 per cent say they help them keep their family safer online and 93 per cent would recommend their use to other families. 92 per cent of parents who have used parental controls also said that using them helps them to feel more on top of how the young people in their family use technology.
Ryan Ferguson, managing director for Snap Inc. in Australia and New Zealand, said “As the father of a teenager myself, I know just how hard it is for parents today to manage the use of platforms and technology within their families. The Family Centre parental tools we have on Snapchat are easy to use and designed to prompt important conversations between parents and their teens about online safety. I’d encourage any family whose teenager uses Snapchat, to try them”.
Parents and carers also have access to Snapchat’s Family Safety Hub, a website which offers comprehensive resources to equip parents and teens with essential information to support their safety and digital wellbeing. This includes a guide which explains to those parents who don’t use the app, what Snapchat is and how it works.
Additionally, the study found that 76 per cent of Australian parents who were previously unaware of online safety parental tools would consider using them, suggesting that parents see the value in these controls to help improve the online safety of young people, once they know about them.
Mclean continued, “Snapchat along with other platforms and many devices have a variety of controls available to help keep young people safe. They are not the only measure, but alongside speaking with your family regularly about how to stay safe online, setting up accounts and devices together and establishing clear rules about the use of technology, parental tools should be a vital part of any family’s online safety strategy”.
