UK parents back teaching internet safety over bans

A survey commissioned by Fibrus found most UK parents of primary school children favour teaching children to use the internet safely rather than restricting access. The poll of 1,000 parents suggests online safety is now widely seen as a core life skill.

Three-quarters of respondents said learning to use the internet safely is as essential as learning to swim, while 86% backed a teaching-led approach over broad restrictions. Just 13% said internet access should be totally restricted.

The findings suggest a shift in how parents rank digital skills against more traditional markers of childhood independence. Internet safety ranked above cycling proficiency and handling money, although 85% still said telling the time was the most essential life skill.

Parents also linked internet access to longer-term opportunity. Two-thirds said a child's broadband connection now affects their future as much as the school they attend, while 74% believed the internet would open up more opportunities for their children than they had themselves.

The internet's role in day-to-day education featured strongly in the results. Some 92% of parents said they rely on it to help their children with homework, with maths and numeracy the subject most likely to require online support, at 53%.

Creative activity also featured in responses. Nearly half of parents, 47%, said the internet is an important part of developing creative skills such as drawing, music and video editing.

Household role

The survey also examined how families use connectivity at home beyond schoolwork. For 41% of families, streaming television together was the activity they would miss most if the internet were switched off.

Broadband ranked second only to electricity as the most important household utility for 60% of respondents, ahead of a car. Among Baby Boomers, that figure was 100%, according to the survey.

Generational differences appeared elsewhere in the research. Among Gen X parents aged 46 to 61, 84% rated using the internet safely as a top priority and 79% said the same of financial literacy, both above the national average for internet safety.

The poll comes amid continued debate about children's online lives and the balance between access and protection. While support for restrictions on social media for younger users has been high, the findings suggest parents distinguish between social platforms and the wider internet.

The research forms part of Fibrus's work on digital safety and access, including material aimed at primary school pupils and workshops in Northern Ireland and Cumbria.

Colin Hutchinson, Managing Director of Fibrus, said: "In a year that has seen much debate around using the internet safely, there is no doubt it requires continued effort from industry and users alike to discuss, understand and develop guardrails around its use. We were keen to examine how the internet could be a force for good in the lives of families and, in light of the conversation around a social media ban for under-16s, understand the views of parents of primary school-aged children, for whom the next 10 years will be critical in shaping an understanding of how the internet can help the next generation."

He added: "We absolutely agree that safe use of the internet is a necessary life skill and that's why we've developed an internet safety booklet aimed at primary school children and have been rolling out workshops across Northern Ireland and Cumbria. But we're also heartened to see from the research just how fundamental a role the internet plays in the daily lives of people across the UK. We know how critical it is to foster connection, helping both young and old. We have seen first-hand how giving rural communities access to essential utilities, often taken for granted in cities, empowers people to thrive both personally and professionally. The internet is not all bad and, with the right measures in place, it can enable people to learn, play, connect and create."