More than half of kids trust Google’s answers over their parents and teachers, study finds
Forget mum knows best – it’s the dot com guys the kids trust. In an age where “Google it” and “Bing it” are considered normal expressions, it’s no real surprise children are turning to the digital sphere rather than their parents for information. In a study carried out by Birmingham Science City 54% of children said search engines were their first point of call – only 3% would consider asking their teacher. Perish the thought! As kids increasingly turn to digital alternatives, a fifth of the 500 children studied admitted they’ve never even picked up a dictionary, BBC reports. But considering many parents own up to the fact their maths skills are primary school level perhaps this isn’t such a bad thing? Director of Birmingham Science City Dr Pam Waddell said, “It shows just how commonplace digital technology is for children today… the fact they are able to use new technology to explore this is a positive sign for the future.” So, unless you’re pretty hot on your Kings and Queens, photosynthesis processes and order of the planets, perhaps letting Google take some of the pressure isn’t so bad after all.
