CALGARY, Alberta, July 02, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kidoodle.TV, a family-friendly streaming platform for kids 12 and under, recently released a comprehensive research study to better understand how parents view and approach screen time in a pandemic world and what they anticipate for the future as the world reopens. As media consumption amongst children has increased, the plethora of platforms available have allowed kids to access content that may be unsafe or unsuitable.
According to a study by Wakefield Research:
- 2 in 5 parents (44%) say they've seen previews or ads meant for older children or teens while streaming videos for their kids.
- 42% say they've seen ads for a product meant solely for adults like a political ad.
- 38% say they've seen content auto-played that they did not approve of.
"The significance of doing this kind of real-life research to hear from parents directly on what they are facing when raising their children in today's digital world, and the increased use of screen time on a daily basis, is critical to helping families make good decisions on what platforms are allowed. As a parent, I am faced with multiple demands everyday and knowing the dangers that lurk online is half the problem. The solution is making a smart decision for the sake of our children and being able to remove one less worry. The trends identified here today will serve to inform and guide and hopefully eliminate risks associated with inappropriate content being accessible to children," commented Brenda Bisner, Chief Content Officer at Kidoodle.TV.
In addition to increased recreational viewing, parents and teachers rely on online streaming services as an educational tool. While streaming services can be powerful and effective when it comes to education, it's a double-edged sword due to the risk of exposing children to content not meant for them.
According to the 2021 It Takes a (Digital) Village Report, only 43% of parents utilize parental controls all the time, leaving a large opportunity for nefarious or inappropriate content to slip through the cracks. While a good start, the parental control system has many flaws. Even the most popular streaming services have inadvertently had lapses in their algorithms, where the platform recommends shows or ads meant for an older cohort of children.
Incidents can also occur as a result of hackers or online trolls. In 2019, trolls targeted kids shows on a popular streaming platform that displayed content regarding self-harm and other bizarre themes. Clearly a violation of the platform, the videos were promptly taken down, but not before thousands of children had viewed them. Knowing what children are watching, being an active part of their streaming time, and streaming on platforms that use human moderation to review content instead of solely relying on algorithms, are some of the most effective ways of protecting children from unintentionally viewing inappropriate content.
In regards to what parents think a post-pandemic future holds, the study revealed that while some parents want to lessen their child(ren)'s screen time (35%), others realize that increased screen time is simply a new reality (65%) and are allowing for more or the same amount of viewing time.
Learn more about kids' screen time in the age of COVID-19 in Kidoodle.TV's 2021 It Takes a (Digital) Village report.
About Kidoodle.TV
"Kidoodle.TV® is a family-focused Safe Streaming™ service committed to ensuring children have a safe alternative to stream their favorite TV shows and movies. Available in over 160 countries and territories on thousands of connected devices, Kidoodle.TV provides peace of mind with every show available on Kidoodle.TV strictly vetted by caring people committed to Safe and Free Streaming for Kids™. Kidoodle.TV is available on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Fire TV, LG, Samsung, VIDAA-enabled Hisense TVs, Chromecast, Roku, Vizio SmartCast, Amazon, Jio, Xfinity X1, Connected TVs, HTML5 Web, and many other streaming media devices. Kidoodle.TV is owned and operated by A Parent Media Co. Inc., a family-based company. Kidoodle.TV is certified by the kidSAFE ® Seal Program and is the proud recipient of the Mom's Choice Award ®, a Stevie ® Award, platinum winner of the Best Mobile App Award, and Parents' Picks Award - Best Elementary Products. Visit www.kidoodle.tv to learn more. *Content availability varies by location."