The Undersecretariat of Children, Unicef and VTR launched the unprecedented “Digital Mother Radiography”, a survey conducted during the pandemic of mothers and fathers of children between 4 and 18 years old, belonging to different cities in Chile.
The report, prepared by Criteria, seeks to measure the perception of parents about their children’s behaviour in relation to technology, especially in these times of social isolation, when they have stayed in their homes longer. In this context, the survey produced data on internet uses, the concerns of
families versus the time their children spend on screens and changes in family behaviors in this pandemic.
Among the relevant results of this research, it is noted that 56% of families say that as a result of the pandemic, more talking spaces have been generated. In the same vein, 6 out of 10 declare that they have gathered to eat as a family more often.
Faced with questions about how they project digital family coexistence at the end of the pandemic, the survey revealed that 74% of parents believe that the relationship with their children will be better than before, and that 9 in 10 parents would like to continue eating with their children every day.
Undersecretary of children Carol Bown said this study “will serve to be able to take steps to develop public policy and support families in this concern. Today in times of pandemic, it is even more complex, children are not going to school. They can’t leave the house many times and we have to establish other kinds of routines and other considerations, in which screens can hinder or help us in this relationship, and that’s what we want to do, address how we can use positively, the tools that the Internet delivers to us today.”
Unicef representative in Chile Paolo Mefalopulos also appreciated the study for its useful information on the digital consumption of children. “This research allows us to better accompany parents in the digital education of their daughters and sons, especially during this quarantine period where minors
they spend many more hours connected.”
This study is part of the digital safety and education program for children, which VTR has developed for more than 10 years and is today named “Convive Digital”. In that vein, Guillermo Ponce, general manager of the company, noted that “during this pandemic, and more than ever, the use of the internet and technology has become fundamental in the lives of children and society at large, that is why through the launch of this
digital radiography invites us to reflect on the importance of training future leaders from an early age
promoting a positive, empathetic and respectful use of technology.”
