Parents fear social media and technology more than drugs, alcohol or smoking
Key points:
- ReachOut surveyed 890 parents with children between the ages of 12 and 18
- 45 per cent of parents worried about social media, 42 per cent about technology
- 25 per cent worried about their children using drugs, alcohol, smoking. Technology closely followed at 42 per cent.ReachOut chief executive Jono Nicholas said parents were worried about the everyday use of social media and technology.”Unlike some of those other products, where I guess from a parent’s point of view, you can at least try and keep them away.”Mr Nicholas said parents were concerned about the anonymity of social media.”That the harm and particularly the psychological harm can be really significant.””Those platforms are the only ones who can improve some of those safety controls,” Mr Nicholas said.”These companies have some of the smartest minds in the world. We really want them to also come to the table and say ‘here’s what’s the next step’.””They carry very significant risks and what we’re calling for is to make that device as safe as we can,” he said.”What it shows you is that for many families it’s the everyday, what we would call kitchen-table mental health issues that are causing them the most stress,” Mr Nicholas said.ReachOut said its research is nationally representative.
