EU study reveals children's online habits

Europe's children are internet and mobile savvy and are well aware of the possible risks, according to a new survey by the European Commission.

The latest Eurobarometer survey (PDF) interviewed children aged 9-10 and 12-14 across all 27 EU member states, and in Norway and Iceland.

The researchers found remarkable homogeneity in internet and mobile usage from country to country, but greater variation among age group and gender.

All age groups and genders surveyed use the internet to help with homework, but mostly they use it for online games and recreational surfing. They also use the internet and their mobiles to communicate with friends, but rarely with strangers.

Online gaming is the most popular activity among 9-10 year-old children of both sexes and continues to be so among 12-14 year-old boys. But among girls, games are replaced by social activities, such as IM, social networks and blogs.

Generally speaking, girls in both age groups use the internet in a more diversified manner than boys.

Nine and 10 year-olds connect on average three or four times a week for a minimum of 60 to 90 minutes per session. The older children connect every day for an average of two to three hours, or three to five hours if they are avid gamers.

Children learn how to use technologies by their own discovery, from their peers and lastly from school or parents.

They are well aware of the problems of viruses, hackers, paedophiles and online scams, and most claim that threatening text messages are no different to any other form of bullying and admit to being victims and perpetrators.

The older children get lighter supervision from their parents. But they recognise that parents are right to supervise them and only 12-14 year-old girls get angry when Mum wants to read what they've said in an email.

Children worry about damaging the family computer with a virus, running out of credit on their mobiles, becoming internet addicts and damaging their eyesight or losing sleep if they stay online too long.

They know not to give out their email address or mobile number to strangers and never to agree to a meeting with a stranger, although some admit to breaking these rules or know of friends or apocryphal friends of friends who have.

SMS is seen as children's most private medium. As one 14 year-old summarised: "You phone your parents, but you text your friends."

The survey was conducted as part of the EU's Safer Internet Programme.