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42% of Americans Under 8 Have Their Own Tablet (axios.com)

A reader shares an Axios report: A whopping 42% of children ages 0-8 have their own tablet device, up from less than 1% in 2011, according to Common Sense Media's newest national "Media Use by Kids" census. Families with young children are now more likely to have a subscription video service such as Netflix or Hulu (72%) than they are to have cable TV (65%). 10% of kids age 8 or under own a "smart" toy that connects to the internet and 9% have a voice-activated virtual assistant device available to them in the home, such as an Amazon Echo or Google Home.

6 of 221 comments (clear)

  1. A modern pacifier by jellomizer · · Score: 4, Funny

    Not too surprising. Just as the Boomers, were suck in front of the TV, Gen X were given Video Games, Menials have Cell Phones. It makes scene that today's kids have the newest technology to pacify them. We can tout bad parenting... But in truth having an outlet where the child is out of your hands for an hour or so, it overall beneficial. Kids before that technology were just beaten if they were too much of a problem... So having a kid, watch a movie on a tablet in terms of perspective is a good thing.

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    If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    1. Re:A modern pacifier by jellomizer · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The kids on the the side that lost WWII were beaten as well.

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      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
  2. Re:Makes sense by Captain+Splendid · · Score: 5, Informative

    Only because you have no imagination. I'm still using mine as a light browser, email client, videophone, occasional gaming time waster, VNC client, as well as acting as the remote for my soundbar, TV and Plex server.

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    Linux, you magnificent bastard, I read the fucking manual!
  3. surprisingly low by smithcl8 · · Score: 4, Informative

    All the kids in my school district have iPads from Kindergarten on. They use the heck out of them, too. Make music, little stop-motion videos, a little coding stuff, and some math/reading games. I don't even have to push them to play those things.....they are just better than Mavis Beacon when I was younger.

  4. Re:Makes sense by cayenne8 · · Score: 4, Insightful
    I'm actually SOOOO glad they didn't have this shit or cameras on everyones' person when I was growing up.

    I actually got to go outside and play and use my imagination, and no one to track me or take incriminating evidence of me while I acted upon said imagination....

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    Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
  5. Parents First by scubamage · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Parents need to remember that your kid is learning from your behavior. If you have your nose in your phone and tablet all day every day, you are teaching your kid that that is acceptable behavior. No matter how much you try to restrict their access to it, they are very likely to mimic you in the end. If you use a phone and tablet sparsely and put an emphasis on doing other things, the kid is much more likely to do the same. So, giving them a tablet isn't that huge of a deal so long as you yourself don't have one surgically attached at the hip.