Intel Security Survey Reveals New
Family Challenges as Connected Lifestyle
Increases in Singapore
Parents Admit Dedicating More Time
to Digital Device Usage As compared
to In-Person Interaction While at Home
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
- 37 percent of parents allow their child to use an internet-connected device with no restrictions at all.
- Only 28 percent of parents that allow their child to take an internet-connected device to bed admit to monitoring their children’s activity on their devices.
- 40 percent of parents have been called out by their child for being on their device during family time.
Singapore, Feb 1, 2017 – Today Intel Security released the findings from a
recent survey in Singapore called, “New Family Dynamics in a Connected World,”
that aims to help better comprehend how families’ attitudes and habits are
evolving as their homes and lifestyles become increasingly connected. The
study underscores the need for simple ways parents can manage internet
connectivity in their homes – from blocking inappropriate sites to controlling
the amount of time users spend on their devices to disconnecting from the
internet entirely from time to time.
In today’s age, we are seeing the rise in the
popularity of the smart home and its connected devices. In fact, Gartner
forecasts that “there will be more than 10.5 billion ‘things’ in homes by
2020,”1 which we believe creates a larger potential risk that
the devices and personal data that flow from them can be compromised. Even
though internet-connected devices offer consumers new opportunities, they also
come with some drawbacks and potential risks that can be the detriment of
relationships.
“While
there is tremendous excitement for the conveniences that today’s technology
brings, the weakest link in those devices within a connected home can put
consumers at risk,” said David Freer, Vice President of Consumer, Asia Pacific,
Intel Security. “We must empower parents to actively manage how their families
interact with these devices. When the correct security and privacy measures are
taken, consumers will feel more protected, enabling them to fully enjoy all the
benefits of living in a smart home.” added Freer.
Current Monitoring Methods Don’t Keep Pace with Technology
- Despite their concern of online risks and living a digitally-led lifestyle, parents tend to use older methods of monitoring their childrens’ device usage. 35 percent of parents admitted to monitoring their child’s device usage by keeping the device in their possession and giving it to them only when they were around.
- 67 percent of parents are concerned about their child potentially interacting with a social predator or cybercriminal online.
Today’s Digital Habits Cause New Parenting Concerns
- Bedtime habits have evolved since the introduction of smartphones and tablets with 77 percent of parents allowing their child to bring an internet-connected device to bed.
- Not only are parents concerned about who their children are interacting with online, they are also monitoring how much time they spend in front of a screen. 42 percent of parents allow their child to have 1-2 hours of screen time per day, and 50 percent think that children should be allowed to use devices for up to two hours on weekdays, and four hours on weekends.
- Unfortunately, parents can’t be around all the time to monitor the device usage. In fact, 37 percent of parents claim they have discovered that their child visited an inappropriate website on their device.
- 23 percent of parents who use an internet connected device daily, admit to being willing to trade in vacation time at work in exchange for ‘unplugged family dinners.’
- Conversely, kids aren’t the only ones who use devices when they shouldn’t: Approximately 40 percent of parents surveyed also claimed that their child has called them out for being on their device during family time.
The Good News: Online Safety Conversations Are Happening Between Parents
and Children
- Parents understand the importance of talking to their children about potential dangers on the internet, with roughly 90 percent having addressed the risks with their children at some point.
Tips to Keep Families Secure in Year Ahead
To stay protected in the evolving online world, Intel
Security has the following tips for parents:
- Start conversations early. If you start talking about online safety early, it will make your job that much easier when your children get older. If your kids are young, start with simple rules like “don’t open emails from people you don’t know.” You want online safety to be part of normal behavior.
- Set a good example. It’s easy to get caught up spending a lot of time on our devices, and kids pick up our habits – both good and bad. Set a positive example by limiting your time on social networks when at home and putting your phone away during dinner and family time.
- Keep strangers out. Most children have been using devices from an early age, desensitizing them to the potentials risks of online behavior. A false sense of security can set in for children and they could be unknowingly interacting with a social predator or dangerous person posing as a teen (catfish). This isn’t just on social media networks; it applies to common services such as Uber*, Lyft* and Craigslist*. Remind kids that anyone can create a profile and to decline friend requests from strangers.
- Take control of your home network. The home network is the hub for all of your connected devices. New solutions, such as McAfee Secure Home Platform, help you easily manage and protect devices connected to this network while providing parental controls with permissions that can be tailored to the entire household.
Find More Information:
To
learn more about survey results, check out:
- Blog post from Gary Davis: https://securingtomorrow.mcafee.com/consumer/connected-family-smarthome-2017
- Twitter: Follow @IntelSecurity for live safety updates and tips on securing connected home devices. Use #SecureHome to join the conversation.
Survey Methodology
In December 2016, Intel Security
commissioned OnePoll to conduct a survey of 1000 adults (aged 18-55+).
Respondents were individuals who use an internet-connected device on a daily
basis and are based in Singapore.
About Intel Security
Intel Security, with its McAfee
product line, is dedicated to making the digital world safer and more secure
for everyone. Intel Security is a division of Intel Corporation. Learn more
at www.intelsecurity.com.
1 Gartner, Market Trends: Choose a Functional Business Model for the
Connected Home Market, 15 April 2016
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