This Digital Navigator offers insight into the questions that Dutch parents have concerning digital parenting and the apps they want to know about most. With more than 15,000 users, ChatLicense – the digital driver’s license for the smartphone – has a clear picture of the information needs of parents. Undoubtedly, every parent wants their child to be safe online – the big question is: how?
More and more parents find that the later their child starts using a smartphone, the better it is. But no matter how appropriate the starting moment, there is a certain point at which that online world enters the picture – sometimes sooner than expected: when looking over their friends’ shoulders or through using their parents’ phones. Children merge onto the digital highway in all kinds of ways.
Most important question: how do you talk to your (pre)teen?
“The daily concerns of parents are not so much reflected in the alarming headlines,” says ChatLicense founder Marjolein van Tilburg. “Parents mainly want to have a grasp: you don’t achieve that by simply banning something, but rather by being able to stay in conversation with your (pre)teen. We know from scientific research that contact between educators and children is extremely important for healthy online behavior and screen use. On our platform, we also see a call for reliable information – our article about the meaning behind certain emojis ranks first in popularity. Then at two is the article about staying in touch with your teenager, and at three the balance between screen time and screen fight.”
Snapchat popular app
In the ChatLicense App Guide, which lists the pros and cons of the most popular apps, it is clear to see what parents of novice smartphone users are most concerned about: social media. Smartphones and apps are often mentioned in the same breath, but access to a device does not automatically mean access to platforms such as Snapchat or Instagram.
The Dutch national screen time guidelines that were published past spring advise the following: a smartphone starting middle school and social media starting from age 13, though the ministry even advises from age 15. “As long as age verification is not properly regulated yet and app developers are not legally held accountable for their responsibility, little difference is currently being made in the daily lives of children. Therefore, it’s important that we as parents play our part by knowing what we can and shouldn’t do together with our children, but also remember that it’s crucial to explain how something can be done safely, smartly and enjoyably – as with any aspect of parenting.”
Top 5 Apps Parents Want to Know More About:
- Snapchat
- Spotify
- Roblox
