Two-thirds of parents relying on their kids for tech support

Parents admit they find it easier to talk about the birds and the bees with their kids, rather than tweets and memes. More than half (56%) say they feel more comfortable discussing sex and less than 1 in 5 (16%) said they were more comfortable talking about technology. Confused parents say they are forced to ask their children for advice on tech such as apps and computers – with more than half (57%) saying their 6-14 year old kids help them out, rather than the other way around.

They might be familiar with classic acronyms like LOL, BTW and ATM, but only 7% of mums and dads are familiar with PAW, meaning ‘parents are watching’ – with 10 per cent not understanding any at all. Over a quarter don’t know what Tik Tok is, with 48 per cent being aware of it, but not knowing how to use it, according to a new study by BT Skills for Tomorrow. When it comes to advice, one in five children wouldn’t ask their parents a tech question because they rarely know the answer, while 35 per cent say they aren’t familiar with the websites or apps they frequently use.

Aston spoke to Carolyn Bunting, CEO at Internet Matters and Pete Moorey, digital impact and sustainability campaigns spokesperson to discuss the research in further detail.