Link between parental phone use and children's access to age-inappropriate content
Image credit: plhnk via Unsplash
A study recently published in the journal BMC Pediatrics suggests a link between parents' screen-time habits and their children's access to age-inappropriate content. The research indicates that parental screen usage in the presence of children, coupled with family rules regarding device use, significantly increases the likelihood of children viewing R-rated movies and playing mature-rated video games. The study also notes that children tend to imitate their parents' behavior, meaning that frequent phone use by adults may encourage similar habits in adolescents. This finding emphasizes the need for parents to monitor their own digital behavior as a means to protect children from exposure to unsuitable material.
Source
Nagata, J.M., Li, K., Sui, S.S. et al. Associations between media parenting practices and early adolescent consumption of R-rated movies and mature-rated video games. BMC Pediatr 25, 90 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-024-05367-w
Additional Reading
https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/04/health/parent-child-screen-time-wellness/index.html