WASHINGTON – Parents concerned about what their teenagers access on the Internet may have more reason to worry. A new Pew survey shows some teens are accessing the Web primarily via mobile device.
Twenty-five percent of teens surveyed said they’re mostly cell Internet users, meaning they’re most likely to use their cellphones instead of a home computer.
But, “parents are more dependent on tech-based tools for monitoring their kids’ Internet use,” says Amanda Lenhart, senior researcher with the Pew Research Center.
“It actually can be harder to monitor what your teens are doing on a mobile phone.”
She says parents can make use of the technology offered by their cellphone provider to help monitor their children. Other information in the study indicated 78 percent of teens surveyed have cellphones and 23 percent have tablet computers.
Seven in 10 teens with home computers say they share a laptop or desktop with other family members.
About 800 teens and their parents took part in the survey.
View the entire study below.
Teens and Technology 2013 – Pew Research Center
The headline and body of this story have been modified to say for some teens — not most teens — a mobile device is their primary Internet source.
WTOP’s Kate Ryan contributed to this report. Follow @KateRyanWTOP and @WTOP on Twitter.
