A survey of 2,000 parents found kids, aged five to eight, were most demanding when it comes to the internet, and spend on average two hours a day using it for streaming and gaming
Parents are worried their kids are ‘hooked’ on the internet(Image: Getty Images)
Research has revealed that one in 10 parents have had to switch their broadband provider due to pressure from their kids. The study found that youngsters aged between five and eight are the most demanding when it comes to internet usage, spending approximately two hours daily engaging in streaming and gaming activities.
The survey also discovered children use the internet for more than four hours every day, according to a third of parents, accumulating around two months’ worth of continuous usage a year. Meanwhile, a third of parents admit to threatening to turn off the Wi-Fi as a form of punishment which has lead to arguments in most cases.
Recent Ofcom findings discovered that YouTube has become the primary platform younger viewers visit when switching on their television sets. As such, the need for powerful home streaming is more important than ever.
Stephen Warburton, MD of Zen Internet’s consumer division, which commissioned the survey, said: “With summer holidays upon us, the demand for fast, reliable internet at home is only going to rise.”
Kids are most likely to click on YouTube when opening up their TV(Image: SWNS)
He added: “With so many connected devices – from games consoles to smart TVs – competing for bandwidth, it’s crucial to have a connection that can handle it all. Otherwise buffering could be a permanent feature when you are streaming, gaming, and taking video calls.
“The news this week of YouTube being more popular than ever among younger viewers highlights this need for a robust connection.”
A third of parents reckon their kids are ‘hooked’ on internet-based services. To reduce screen time, more than half of parents have put a cap on how long their children can be online.
However, with the summer holidays in full swing and schools closed, 54 per cent of parents anticipate a surge in their children’s internet usage.
According to the survey, most youngsters primarily use the internet for gaming, followed by watching YouTube or streaming platforms, and then TV or films.
Working from home can also be a struggle when multiple people are using the internet(Image: Getty Images)
On top of managing their children’s internet consumption for gaming and streaming, a quarter of those working from home confessed that sluggish internet speeds made remote work challenging.
A third have resorted to sitting near the router for a better connection, while another 35 per cent have asked others to disconnect so they can monopolise the internet’s bandwidth.
The spokesperson for Zen Internet added: “By doing a simple internet speed test you can develop a great understanding of whether you are getting what you should be.
“A download speed of around 100Mbps is recommended to seamlessly game and take video calls concurrently, although if there is considerable usage you may consider going for a higher speeds.”