HALF OF CHILDREN aged between 8 and 12 in Ireland feel that they spend too much time online, a new survey has found.

The survey of over 2,000 primary school children also found that 82% of young children are allowed to use phones and other smart devices unsupervised in their bedrooms.

The new research, published today by online safety charity CyberSafeKids, showed that a notable 28% of the children reported that they could go online whenever they wanted. 

CyberSafeKids said in a statement that the figures highlight a “significant lack of parental engagement” in monitoring online activities, as well as a “troubling lack of awareness of digital safety risks”. 

The charity warned that this level of access for such young children raises concerns about the potential exposure to harmful content and excessive screen time.

“The fact that the vast majority (82%) have unsupervised access to smart devices in their bedrooms increases their risk of being exposed to inappropriate sexual or violent content or contact from strangers,” the charity said in a statement.

“It also decreases the possibility of them telling a trusted adult if something goes wrong as they probably weren’t supposed to be online at the time.”

Of the 32% of children who said that they have been bothered or upset by something they’ve experienced online in the last year, only half spoke to a parent or trusted adult, which suggests that many children may not feel comfortable seeking help or discussing their online experiences.

16% of young children have also seen something online that they wouldn’t want their parents to know about in the last year.

 ’Too much social pressure’

Alex Cooney, CEO of CyberSafeKids, said that urgent better support is needed for parents.

This support is needed so that parents can feel more confident about engaging with their children about their online activity, setting limits and even holding off on giving children access to social media, if they feel their child is not ready.

“There is too much social pressure for children to be online and in many cases it’s before they are ready,” Cooney said.

“It’s not all on parents, however, Big Tech needs to be compelled to create safer online spaces for children too.”

Dr. David Coleman, a Clinical psychologist, said that the survey results highlight how parents “need to be more involved in our children’s online lives”.

“The fact that primary school-aged children affected by distressing content or interactions online are choosing not to discuss these experiences with a parent or trusted adult is concerning,” Coleman said.

Coleman added that parents need to facilitate open discussion with their children about their online lives.

“If we allow children online, at this age, then they need to be supervised and should never have unrestricted access. Keeping children safe online is as important as keeping them safe offline.”