The stark difference in smartphone usage among eight-year-olds in less-advantaged and wealthier backgrounds | Irish Independent
archive.ph/2025.06.16-055422/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/revealed-the-stark-difference-in-smartphone-usage-among-eight-year-olds-in-less-advantaged-and-wealthier-backgrounds/a319792577.html
What Jamie wrote
The numbers here are huge no matter how you look at it but the sharp drop of smartphone ownership as income goes up is interesting. A big part of this has to be that the kids are on their own more and that the phone is a lightweight babysitter often.
More than half of Irish eight-year-olds from less advantaged areas now own a smartphone, which is twice the rate of those from wealthier backgrounds, according to new research.
The difference in access also extends to social media accounts. If you have all that time, this is something to do.
The figures also show that 93pc of eight-year-olds from less advantaged areas have created a social media account, compared with 69pc in middle-class neighbourhoods.
It reminds me of fast food. Families working multiple jobs and stretched don't have time to cook and can’t afford good food so fast food is common. Social media and fast food share a position there.
Overall, three-quarters of Irish 12-year-olds own a smartphone. Similarly, 75pc of those between eight and 12 have a YouTube account, while 74pc of those between 12 and 14 have a TikTok account.
74% of kids have TikTok. Ugh. 😩