- Study: Three quarters of first-graders are online
In Germany, 92% of children and young people use the internet at least occasionally. Among first-graders (6 to 7 years old), a representative survey by the digital association Bitkom found that already nearly three-quarters (73%) are online. The figure rises to 85% for 8 to 9-year-olds, and to 95% for 10 to 11-year-olds. From the age of 12, almost all are online (98%), and by the age of 14, it's 99%.
The survey, conducted by Bitkom Research in May and June, involved 942 children and young people aged 6 to 18, with those aged 6 to 10 participating with their parents.
The older, the longer on the smartphone
The journey into the digital world often begins for younger children with a tablet computer shared with parents. However, by the age of 10 to 12, the smartphone is the preferred digital device, used by 88%. Among young people aged 16 to 18, smartphone use is at 98%, followed by laptops or PCs (87%) and tablets (86%). More than a third also use a smartwatch (36%).
The duration of smartphone use increases with age. Children aged 6 to 9 use their smartphones for an average of 37 minutes a day. For those aged 10 to 12, this increases to 107 minutes a day. Teenagers aged 13 to 15 spend about two and a half hours (154 minutes) a day on their smartphones. Those aged 16 to 18 report spending more than three hours (201 minutes) a day.
YouTube is the favorite
Besides text and voice messaging and calling, listening to music, podcasts, taking photos and videos, and gaming are the most popular smartphone activities. 93% of children and young people aged 10 and above also use social networks, with YouTube leading by a large margin (87%), followed by Instagram and Snapchat (both 53%) and TikTok (51%). Facebook and X/Twitter lag behind at 9% and 8% respectively. A third (33%) say they cannot imagine life without social media.**
Also, negative experiences
Bitkom President Ralf Wintergerst said, "Children need to be guided and accompanied early on in their journey into the digital world. They need to learn to move safely and independently in the digital world. This includes, especially in the early years, agreements on when and how much the smartphone can be used."
He also emphasized the importance of dealing with negative online experiences. Wintergerst noted that 16% of children and young people aged 10 and above who use the internet have already been insulted or bullied online. Over 12% have had lies spread about them. Eight percent said they had been threatened online, and 7% had been sexually harassed by peers or adults. "To better protect children and young people online, we need not only education but also more technical and personnel resources for the police and investigative authorities," said Wintergerst.
Other apps also hold significance for young users. Besides YouTube, gaming apps like Minecraft (63%) and Fortnite (52%) are popular among children and young people. Additionally, educational apps such as KoalaHub (38%) and ABCmouse (14%) are used by some parents and children to balance screen time and promote learning.
