Nearly three-quarters of children aged 10 to 12 regularly engage in social media activities

Early Smartphone and Social Media Use Among German Children, According to Bitkom Survey

A recent survey by Bitkom, Germany's digital association, reveals that children are introduced to smartphones and social media at a relatively young age, with parental oversight and restrictions tailored to their age groups [1].

The survey, which polled 1004 German parents of children aged 6 to 18, highlights several key findings:

Early Adoption: Nearly one in four children (24%) are allowed to use a smartphone by the age of 6, and the majority (58%) of children aged 6 to 9 are given access to digital devices. By the age of 9, 43% of children are allowed to use a smartphone, and the majority (56%) own their own device.
Age-Specific Regulation: Usage is restricted based on the child's age group. Between the ages of 10 and 12, 38% of children are allowed to use another (family) social media profile, and 37% are allowed to have their own profile. By the age of 16, most restrictions fall away, with no parents forbidding children aged 16 to 18 from using social media.
Parental Concerns: Eight out of ten parents fear their children could be bullied on social networks. Parents also express concerns about their child being exposed to extreme political views, with 18% expressing such fears.
Parental Involvement: Sixty-eight percent of parents follow their child's social media activity regularly, and only 38% of parents who allow their children to use social media profiles discuss this regularly with their child.
Digital Education: Parents express a desire for digital and media skills to be part of school curricula and acknowledge challenges in keeping up with technological innovations.
Parental Permissiveness and Anxiety: Bernhard Rohleder, Bitkom CEO, states that most parents are quite permissive about social media, but are worried.

Despite these findings, the survey does not provide specific average age or usage rate numbers for when children start using smartphones or social media. The survey is the first of its kind by Bitkom, so no comparative historical data on age or usage rates exists yet.

Moreover, the survey does not provide new information directly related to the use of PCs, laptops, tablets, or gaming consoles, or specific age groups for these devices.

The survey suggests that smartphone and social media use begins at a relatively young age with parental oversight, but the exact average age and usage rate are not explicitly specified in the available summary of the Bitkom study [1].

References: [1] Bitkom (2021). "Kindern und Jugendlichen im Netz – Eltern und ihre Kinder spielen in der Digitalisierung mit". Retrieved from https://www.bitkom.org/presse/pressemitteilungen/kindern-und-jugendlichen-im-netz-eltern-und-ihrer-kinder-spielen-in-der-digitalisierung-mit/

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The study reveals a trend in Germany, where children are introduced to smartphones and social media at a young age, with parental guidance and age-specific regulations.
By the age of 6, nearly one in four children are allowed to use a smartphone, and the majority of those aged 6 to 9 are given access to digital devices.
Parents of children aged 6 to 18 were polled in the survey, with findings showing that usage restrictions are based on the child's age group.
By age 9, 43% of children are allowed to use a smartphone, and the majority (56%) own their own device.
Parental concern is evident, with eight out of ten parents fearing their children could be bullied on social networks, and worries about exposure to extreme political views.
Sixty-eight percent of parents regularly monitor their child's social media activity, but only 38% discuss it regularly with their child.
Parents advocate for digital and media skills to be incorporated into school curricula, acknowledging challenges in keeping up with technological innovations.
Bernhard Rohleder, Bitkom CEO, notes that most parents are permissive about social media but express anxiety about the issue.
The survey does not provide specific numbers for when children start using smartphones or social media on average, nor does it offer comparative historical data or information about the use of other digital devices.