Kids’ screen time reality – and parental wishful thinking
Kids are now growing up as digital media natives, spending a significant amount of their day in front of a variety of screens. Despite more and more time on smartphones and tablets, research has however shown that TV remains the most viewed platform for kids.
We have noticed that in many countries, the screen time reported by parents in kids media consumption research is not always consistent with the actual situation, which we can track more accurately through data sources like TV panel measurement.
What could be the cause of this inconsistency?
One of the reasons could be that, in some countries, there is a cultural expectation of parents to have strict control over how their kids spend time out of school. This could lead to biased (under-reported) kids screen time – as parents who admit the full reality of their kids’ screen time may be admitting that they are exerting insufficient parental control. It does not eliminate the possibility that some parents simply underestimate their kids’ screen time, across all devices combined, but it is nonetheless a key factor in those markets where excessive screen time for kids equates to poor parenting.
We continue to improve our research methods and analysis to deliver the most credible insights. To know more about our experience in media consumption and children & parents research, please contact Rob.