BBC study finds that UK parents are concerned about rising screen time

British parents worry over what their kids are viewing on screens, and the country's pubcaster is fighting back against negative screen-time perceptions with a new short.
July 24, 2023

A majority of parents in the UK (79%) are concerned that their children’s screen time has increased since the pandemic, according to a new survey from the BBC Children’s and Education division

Britain’s public broadcaster commissioned London-based research firm Survation to conduct its latest survey, which polled 2,010 parents across the country in May. The report found that 67% of parents are worried about what their kids are watching, and especially the amount of visual violence they’re exposed to (45%), the addictive nature of the content (26%) and the use of foul language (21%).

To help quell these concerns, BBC Creative partnered with London-based animation studio Blinkink to produce a stop-motion animated short called The Square Eyed Boy (pictured). The 60-second TV spot launches today and centers around a young boy whose eyes have turned into squares as a result of his excessive screen time. It goes on to reassure parents that the Beeb is a trusted source for kids content, and when used responsibly, screens can be a powerful tool for learning new skills.

A lot of parents don’t need much convincing about screen time’s potential for good; 65% of them agreed that screens have the ability to foster creativity and communication in children. Producers of educational content will also be happy to hear that 93% of parents surveyed are interested in seeing more educational programming for kids. This breaks down further, with 51% saying that educational content is the most important thing children can watch on screens, followed by entertainment (31%). 

Interestingly, despite their concerns over what kids see on screens, parents don’t feel the need to intervene when it comes to access. In the report, 55% of parents admitted they don’t experience guilt when they give their child a phone, but most agree that it is important to limit screen time (83%). 

The report’s findings suggest that British families are shifting away from viewing screen time as harmful to children, and are instead looking for more quality age-appropriate content, said BBC Children’s and Education director Patricia Hidalgo in a release. 

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