Parents’ Regret – New HMD Research Reveals Children’s Smartphone Use A Land of Confusion for Aussie Parents

77% of Australian parents think social media puts their children under too much pressure, 74% say it's not good for their child's mental health and 54% want more support to help them manage their child's screen time.

10,000 Parents surveyed around the globe as part of "The Better Phone Project" believe they should have waited longer before giving a smartphone to their child, is a source of regular arguments and has changed their child's personality, reducing parents to tears

Sydney Australia, 24th July 2024 - Thousands of parents across the globe have revealed they regret handing over a smartphone to their children. New research commissioned exclusively by tech innovator HMD (Human Mobile Devices) has found 11 is the average age when a parent hands over a smartphone to their child for the first time - but many confessed they wished they had waited longer.1 

The worldwide survey of 10,000 parents from across Australia, the UK, US, India and Germany has found more than half of those questioned said they regret exposing their child to a smartphone at such a young age.2 A third of those who responded cited the claimed negative effects of the device and changes in personality as the key reasons for this. 

Concerns have been raised consistently about the impact social media apps, which often go hand-in-hand with smartphones, have on children. 

A staggering 70% of parents questioned admitted their smartphone-free childhood meant they engaged more with their family - however, it is quality time their children don't experience: 55% say their child's phone use is a source of big arguments and a third have cried over their child's phone obsession. 

With more than half of parents agreeing smartphones can have a positive impact on their children and benefit them educationally - including allowing them to keep in touch with friends - parents clearly face a dilemma. 

HMD is now striving to understand these challenges as it looks to offer a suite of new and innovative solutions which could work for parents, their children and anyone who is looking for credible alternatives to a smartphone.

The digital detox space is one HMD is familiar with having spearheaded the dumbphone trend by reimagining feature phone classics for the modern consumer seeking to limit their screen time and social media use. 

Key Australian Findings:

• 77% of Australian parents think social media puts their children under too much pressure and is not good for their mental health (74%).
• 80% of Australian parents would like to see their school educate children on the dangers of social media, while a majority call for schools to ban phones.
• Smartphone use is a land of confusion for parents: 54% want more guidance and support to help them manage their child's screen time and over 50% want the government to provide that guidance.
• 80% of Australian parents fear smartphones expose their children to stranger danger, with more than half admitting they don't know what their children get up to when using their phones
• Two-thirds of Australian parents say they would like a "child-friendly" phone as they look for solutions to manage mobile phone usage

Further Global Findings:

• 64% of parents questioned said smartphone use negatively impacts their child's sleep
• 61% think it reduces the amount of physical activity they undertake
• More than half (54%) worried that it will reduce the amount of time they spend socialising with friends. 
• 75% of parents fearing smartphones expose their children to internet dangers, with more than half admitting they don't know what their children get up to when using their phones. 
• Almost half of parents believe mobile phone use has changed their child's personality
• A third claim their child has body image issues due to their phones. 
• 38% parents feel there are 'no solutions'.

HMD is also keen to work with anyone who is interested in this subject and would like to be part of the journey to create change and new solutions. This includes Generation Z, influencers, policymakers, campaigners and support groups. They can sign-up to be involved at https://www.hmd.com/en_int/better-phone-project. (URL will go live on 24 July) 

Lars Silberbauer, CMO of HMD, said: "The Better Phone Project is a journey to discovering a variety of solutions that tackle digital overload, providing choice and balance.  Our goal is to collaborate with parents and experts to develop solutions that truly meet people's needs, driving innovation in this space." 

Brenden Folitarik, GM Australia and Oceania, HMD, said: "It's clear that Australian parents are struggling to find the balance between giving their children the benefit and freedom of connectivity while also teaching them about the responsible use of technology. This research is the first of an ongoing commitment from HMD to stay close to our consumers and be part of the solution."

Joe Ryrie Co-founder of Smartphone Free Childhood said: "We're delighted that HMD is committed to addressing the glaring gap in the market for child-friendly phones through this project. Their research into children and smartphones is yet more evidence of the impossible position that parents find themselves in today; We either give our children access to a device they might not be ready for, or choose not to and risk alienating them from their peers.

"It's an issue that the 100,000+ parents who've joined our community since February are battling with on a daily basis, and we know that solving it requires a collaborative effort between parents, children, government and tech companies.
 
"Parents in our community are crying out for a phone which is desirable to children but isn't designed to steal their attention. So we're very excited about collaborating with HMD to help define what a modern child-friendly phone should be."

Supporting imagery is available upon request

*ENDS*

1Based on a study commission by HMD and conducted by Perspectus Global. 10,092 parents we're interviewed, across 5 different countries, United Kingdom, the United States, India, Germany and Australia. The study was conducted July 2024. 

2 Australian sample of 2,000 parents aged 35+ of children 5-16 years old.

About Human Mobile Devices

We are Human Mobile Devices, and we start by tuning into what people really want. Our consumers are passionate about the planet, often feel swamped by digital overload, and are keeping a close eye on their budget. That's why we are thrilled to be Europe's largest smartphone maker, championing repair-at-home phones, and a go-to for much needed digital time out.  Coming this year, you can expect to see a new portfolio of Human Mobile Devices original mobile devices, as well as Nokia phones and exciting new partnerships. For further information, see www.hmd.com. 

Additional Australian Insights

Nearly two-thirds of Australian parents fear their child's phone use is impacting their learning

• 74% of Australian parents would like their child to spend less time on their smartphone
• Nearly two-thirds (60%) say their phones affect their learning

77% of Australian parents think social media puts their children under too much pressure and is not good for their mental health (74%).

• 77% of Australian parents think social media puts their children under too much pressure and is not good for their mental health (74%). 
• Two-thirds (58%) fear their children might be bullied due to their smartphones (and being always on / connected)

80% of Australian parents fear smartphones expose their children to stranger danger, with more than half admitting they don't know what their children get up to when using their phones

• More than half (56%) of Australian parents agree they don't or won't know what their children get up to when using their phones
• 80% of Australian parents fear smartphones put their children in danger from strangers
• While two-thirds (68%) fear it increases the chance they could be blackmailed

Smartphone use is a land of confusion for Australian parents: 54% want more guidance and support to help them manage their child's screen time and over 50% want the government to provide that guidance.

• 54% of Australian parents say they want more guidance about how to get their child using screens less, while 53% want the government to provide that guidance
• This matches with the 47% of respondents who said that while there is a lot of advice about children and screen time available, they don't know what to believe

Two-thirds of Australian parents say they would like a "child-friendly" phone as they look for solutions to manage mobile phone usage

• Two thirds (61%) of Australian parents say they have or will have to put together various different solutions to deal with their child's phone use.
• 44% say they would like more control as parents but do not know where to begin
• It is not surprising, therefore, that two-thirds (65%) of Australian parents say they would like a child friendly phone to help them

69% of Australian parents admit their smartphone-free childhood meant they engaged more with their family - in contrast, 55% say their child's phone use is a source of big arguments, while a third have cried over their child's phone obsession.

• 55% of Australian parents report having had big arguments with their children over phone use, or suspect it will happen.
• Meanwhile, a huge 69% of Australian parents say that when reflecting back on their own childhoods, they spend more time engaging with their parents because they didn't have a phone - and that their parents know more about them and their life as a result

80% of Australian parents would like to see their school educate children on the dangers of social media, while a majority call for schools to ban phones.

• A majority (64%) of Australian parents would like to see schools ban phones, while a huge 80% would like to see their school educate their children on the dangers of social media
• 75% think the social media companies themselves should do more about children's phone usage

Almost half of parents admit mobile phone use has changed their child's personality, with a third claiming their child has body image issues due to their phones

• 45% of Australian parents report a change in their child's personality after they started using a mobile phone, 47% report a short attention span, and 38% think their child has been less able to express their emotions
• 27% say their child now has body image issues due to phone use and constantly being connected

46% of Australian parents regret handing over a smartphone to their child and wish they had waited longer, with a over a third citing they have seen negative side effects in their children.

• 46% of Australian parents wish they had waited longer to give their child a smartphone
• 63% say this because their child spends too much time on it, 43% because it is harder to take it away from them once they have it, and 38% have seen negative effects - a third (33%) say it has changed their personality

Over half of Australian parents think being able to know where their children are is a major benefit of smartphone ownership

• 59% say their child learns the technology that they are going to use for the rest of their lives
• Over half (54%) say phones are useful for tracking and knowing where they are
• While 44% say it gives them another way to interact with friends