New Report Finds That Parents Approve of Social Media Use By Kids

Given all the writing on social media for kids (including ours), we found the following interesting: a new report released today by Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics in Kansas City, finds that 83% of parents think the benefits of their kids’ social media use, including sites such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, balance or outweigh perceived risks. The report is titled "Healthy Perspectives: Parents, Kids and Social Media" and also finds that 72% of parents agree that their child’s participation in social networking is good preparation for future work success in a world increasingly dependent on technology.

Here are some other interesting tidbits from the report:

• 68% of parents believe a child should be 13 or older to join Facebook. 
• 64% of parents with children ages 12 or younger indicate they are concerned about sexting or inappropriate sexual behavior as a result of social media, while fewer than half (49%) of parents of children between the ages of 13 and 19 are concerned about the issue.
• 72% of parents said it would help prepare them for life in a digital world. 
• 59% said it would help them learn through collaboration and exchange of ideas. 
• 57% said it would encourage them to be more curious, aware and open-minded.
• 55% said they think it is an effective teaching tool.
• A somewhat smaller number, 46%, said they believe it fosters individual identity and social skills.

The full report can be found here.

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