Tipp Families Encouraged To Try 24 Hour “CyberBreak”

Recent CyberSafeKids research has found that 95% of children aged 8 – 12yrs own a smart device and 87% are signed up to social media and messaging apps, despite being under the minimum age requirement of 13 for all of the popular sites.

CyberSafeKids is Ireland’s online Charity and is hosting a 24 hour “CyberBreak” from 5pm today until 5pm tomorrow with over 9000 families signed up to take part.

Families are being encouraged to embrace the opportunity of having device-free time as a family, to discuss how they can find a healthy balance between their online and offline lives.  The aim is that users would take a break from all smart devices including phone, iPad, iTouch, laptop, computer, and gaming consoles.

Recent research has revealed that 27% of 8-13yr olds find it hard to switch off from their smart devices.

42% said their parents think the child spends too much time online.

A quarter  of 8-13 yr olds felt that they waste a lot of time online.

Over 3,000 children took part in the survey which also revealed that close to half (44%) said spending time online is mostly a positive experience.

The research also revealed that  39% said they spend most of their time on gaming followed by 22% watching videos (e.g. YouTube) and 17% using social media (e.g. Snapchat, TikTok).

Only 3% spend time creating things (e.g. drawing apps, iMovie, Photoshop) and only 3% used their time online to look up information (e.g. for homework projects and/or carry out research), which is expected to increase as children get older and assignments/projects become more involved.

Almost the same percentage of 8 yr olds (17%) are using WhatsApp, iMessage as 12 yr olds (18%) and 13 yr olds (19%).

25% of 12 yr olds and 36% of 13 yr olds spend their time using Social Media (e.g Snapchat, TikTok)

Parents are encouraged to have regular conversations with their children about online use and content, to know the apps and games being used especially any inbuilt chat facility and to also put appropriate boundaries in place as to the  extent of online activities.

For more information on CyberBreak and to sign-up, please go to 

www.cybersafekids.ie/cyberbreak