Two thirds of parents support limiting children’s social media use to two hours a day, a new survey shows
Most parents would welcome a government cap on how long kids can spend on social media each day as many admit they struggle with setting boundaries at home, according to new research from Uswitch.
Whether it’s time limits on Roblox or parental controls on Instagram, managing social media use has become a tricky part of family life. And it’s not just parents worried about this — the government is considering limiting social media for children, too.
Peter Kyle, former Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, said he would make announcements on a potential screen time limit for children this autumn (although this may not be the case now that Liz Kendall has taken over the role in the recent cabinet reshuffle). A survey by Uswitch, a comparison and switching service, found that two thirds of the 500 parents they surveyed supported government intervention into children’s screen time.
The survey also found that one in five parents said they were unsure of what a “reasonable” daily amount of screen time is for children, but that 66% of the parents strongly or somewhat agreed with a two-hour daily social media limit for their children.
This contrasts to how much time their children were actually spending online — 21% of parents said that their children spent between one and three hours a day online, and 12% said their children spent three or more hours online.
And while 73% said they were confident in managing their children’s use of social media, 35% of parents said that they were concerned about monitoring their children’s screen time.
Home internet tools can help cultivate healthier online habits
You can change parental controls directly in social media apps or on websites, but Max Beckett, a broadband expert at Uswitch, says that home Wi-Fi tools can also help to support healthier screen time habits in families, especially when it comes to social media use.
“We know from our research that 32% of parents struggle to monitor social media use as their children have access to multiple devices or accounts, and it’s not just social media parents need to think about. Keeping tabs on YouTube, streaming platforms, and gaming services can be just as time-consuming, and they’re often accessed on shared family devices,” Max says.
“Broadband-level controls allow parents to manage these platforms consistently, whether they’re being used on a phone, computer, or games console,” Max says. “Many Wi-Fi routers include features such as family filters to block inappropriate content, the ability to plan connectivity hours, or even the option to set access for specific devices like tablets, consoles, or laptops.”
Tips for managing social media use
Max also shared some practical tips to help parents manage their children’s social media use.
- Have open conversations. “The first step to avoiding resistance from young family members is to have a calm discussion around what they enjoy out of their time online. Share your concerns openly and focus on the positive impact of managing their social media use together,” he says.
- Set boundaries. “Start by agreeing on daily limits and creating screen-free zones like the dinner table and before bed,” Max says. “It may also be helpful to model this behaviour yourself, so be mindful of your scrolling habits to show you’re aligned as a family on your approach to social media.”
- Make the most of your broadband’s parental controls. “Your internet provider will have its own set of unique safety features which help to give you autonomy over your family’s screen time. This will give you peace of mind knowing the controls you add will apply no matter what device your child is using,” he says.
- Be flexible. “One size does not fit all when it comes to striking the balance of social media use. Regularly review limits set on your children as they grow and try allowing them to set their own limits to feel empowered by their online choices,” Max says.