Online concerns for children this summer holiday

Whether it’s a family day-out or a holiday, it’s no shock that parents spend hours and 100s of pounds to keep their kids occupied during the summer break. However, despite all their efforts children still gravitate towards tech, so much so that concerns over screen time and how to keep them safe online are inevitable.

Today Vodafone releases new research which shows that despite UK families spending up to £1,300 on activities to keep their kids busy this summer, three in ten (31%) parents admit they are worried about how much time their child will spend online over the summer. This raises further concerns over internet safety and cyber-bullying.

This comes as Vodafone has announced it will be offering 10,000 free digital copies of author Jeanne Willis (Dr. Xargle) and illustrator Tony Ross’ (Horrid Henry, Little Princess) Internet Safety picture books for children to help parents keep kids occupied over the summer and educate them on online safety. The three books available explore themes of internet bullying, managing screen time and being mindful of internet predators in fun and engaging stories.

Aston spoke to Emma Robertson, co-founder of Digital Awareness UK and Helen Lamprell, general counsel and external affairs director at Vodafone.

Photo by Glenn Carstens Peter on Unsplash