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Almost Half of Parents Say Their Kid Is Addicted to Tech

Half of parents recently surveyed said they are at least 'somewhat concerned' that their child's mobile device usage is negatively affecting their mental health.

Angela Moscaritolo
 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Are you worried that your kid is addicted to their mobile device? You're not alone—47 percent of parents feel their child is "addicted" to their mobile device, according to a new survey from nonprofit Common Sense and SurveyMonkey; 32 percent of those parents said the same about themselves.

The survey of 4,201 adults, including 1,024 parents with children younger than 18, was conducted from this Jan. 25 to 29. Half of parents surveyed said they are at least "somewhat concerned" that their child's mobile device usage is negatively affecting their mental health.

YouTube is contributing to those worries. Sixty-two percent of parents whose children watch YouTube videos said their kid has encountered inappropriate videos on the Google-owned platform. But while the majority (81 percent) of parents said it's mainly their job to prevent their kids from seeing inappropriate videos, just 40 percent have taken advantage of YouTube's parental controls, the survey found. Thirty-seven percent have not used these controls and another 22 percent didn't even know YouTube offered them.

"Parental concerns about technology addiction and the content children are exposed to on devices is very real, yet parents feel that they alone are responsible for managing these issues," Common Sense CEO and Founder James P. Steyer said in a statement. "It would be nice if the tech companies would partner with parents in this effort. Based on these findings, YouTube could teach us all how to use parental controls. That would be a good, simple way to start."

This issue made headlines late last year when several big-name companies pulled their ads from YouTube following revelations that they appeared alongside pedophilic and exploitative child content. YouTube, in response, shut down "hundreds" of accounts and removed more than 150,000 disturbing videos of children.

Meanwhile, Facebook recently launched Messenger Kids, its first app built specifically for children, prompting concern from experts. Child advocates have urged Facebook to discontinue Messenger Kids over concerns that it will "undermine children's healthy development," but the social network has done the exact opposite by making the app more widely available.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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