Publics in 11 emerging economies express widespread concerns about the impact of digital technology on children % of adults who say people should be about children being exposed to harmful or immoral content when using their mobile phones bad influence on children in their country % of parents whose children have a mobile phone who
Those in every country surveyed worry about the impact of mobile phones on children. Across these 11 emerging economies, a median of 79% of adults say people should be very concerned about children being exposed to harmful or immoral content when using their phones. In most countries, half or more say mobile phones and the internet have had a bad impact on children – more than the percentage who say they are concerned about the influence of technology on other facets of society included in the survey, such as politics, local culture and morality.
Parents are taking steps to monitor and regulate what their child does online or on their mobile phone. A median of 52% of parents whose children have a mobile phone say they at times limit how much time their child spends on their phone, and a median of 50% say they ever monitor what their child is looking at or doing on their mobile phone.
Publics in 11 emerging economies  | express widespread concerns about the  | impact of digital technology on children  | % of adults who say people should be  | about children  | being exposed to harmful or immoral content when  | using their mobile phones  | Somewhat  | Very concerned  | concerned  | 79%  | 14%  | % ofadults who say the increasing use of  | has had a  | bad influence on children in their country  | Mobile phones  | 63%  | The internet  | 54  | % of parents whose children have a mobile phone who  | say they ever  | Limit how much time their  | 52%  | child spends on their phone  | Monitor what their child is  | 50  | looking at or doing on their  | mobile phone  | In the survey, questions about parents and children were asked of  | all respondents. The results reported here were recalculated to  | exclude those who volunteered that they do not have any children  | and/or that their child or children do not have a mobile phone  | Note: Percentages are 11-country medians  | Source: Mobile Technology and Its Social Impact Survey 2018  | Q14Ai, Q14Bi, Q19f Q25b & Q26b  | Mobile Connectivity in Emerging Economies  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 