20% of young kids surf porn via their smartphones

by Steven Mostyn - Jan 31 2012, 11:07

In today’s world, trend-conscious kids no longer hanker after the latest mobile phone. No, they want the latest cutting-edge smartphone handsets and all the blissful parent-free online functionality such devices provide.

More pointedly, a new YouGov report has found that 21 percent of children aged between 8-15 have used their Internet-enabled mobile device to access websites containing adult-themed content. That figure rises to around 33 percent when focusing on those aged between 14-15.

Parental ignorance is perhaps partially to blame for kids seeking out and perusing illicit sites, according to the study, not least because it found that security controls designed to prevent such surfing was active on only 13 percent of smartphones.

Further to that, some 46 percent of parents conceded that they weren’t even aware their child’s handset had built-in parental control technology—or how they should best implement it.

By way of comparison, 44 percent of children have parental restrictions in place on their home computers and/or notebook systems.

The study also found that children are being increasingly drawn towards social networks via their smartphone handsets, with usage through the likes of Facebook and Twitter leaping from just five percent in 2008 through to 38 percent in 2011.

Using social networks while ‘on the go’ is presently the second most popular activity for children, beaten only by the playing of online games.

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