世論 What Japan Thinks

goo Research recently reported into elementary school children’s internet use, the seventh time they have reported on this. I’m sure I translated an earlier survey, but I can’t find it now!

Demographics

Between the 17th and 29th of September 2009 7,657 parents or guardians of elementary school children or younger completed a public internet-based questionnaire available through the kids goo portal. 54.2% of the sample were female, 1.2% in their twenties, 42.2% in their thirties, 52.4% in their forties, and 4.2% aged fifty or older.

It’s not clear from the sample as to whether mobile internet is included within this sample.

It’s a bit worrying that over a quarter of those who participate in chat (or over a quarter of those whose parents are aware of them participating and who they are talking to) don’t seem to know or have been taught the basic rules about not talking to strangers over the internet.

Research results

Q1: For each of your elementary school or younger children, do they use the internet? (Sample size=7,657, multiple answer)

Age group	Number in sample	Usage percentage
Pre-school	2,207	18.8%
First year	1,393	47.4%
Second year	1,575	54.8%
Third year	1,686	63.7%
Fourth year	1,682	75.3%
Fifth year	1,720	82.7%
Sixth year	1,708	88.0%

Q2: At what age did they start using the internet? (Sample size=5,637, internet-using children)

Zero to two years old	0.8%
Three to five years old	16.5%
First year	21.6%
Second year	11.9%
Third year	19.6%
Fourth year	16.6%
Fifth year	9.7%
Sixth year	3.2%

Q3: How did they come to start use the internet? (Sample size=5,637, internet-using children, multiple answer)

Taught by parents	49.8%
Taught at school	27.7%
Started using by himself/herself	9.3%
Taught by brother, sister	5.9%
Learnt along with parents when they first started using it	2.6%
Attended a computing, internet event	1.5%
Started using to learn about it	0.9%
Other	2.4%

Q4: Do you use internet filtering software or service? (Sample size=5,637)

Using it	25.6%
Heard about it, but don’t use it (to SQ)	58.6%
Used to use it, but now don’t (to SQ)	3.6%
Don’t know whether I can use it	7.4%
Don’t know what filtering is	4.8%

Q4SQ: Why don’t you use filtering software? (Sample size=3,507, multiple answer)

Don’t think my child is accessing any inappropriate material	53.3%
Inconvenient when adults want to use	22.1%
Bothersome to set up	15.5%
Don’t know how to use it	11.1%
Have to pay for it	9.1%
In order to learn about the internet world filtering is not required	6.4%
Don’t trust filtering services, software	3.8%
Other	18.1%

Q5: What rules do you have regarding children’s internet use at home? (Sample size=5,637, multiple answer)

Continuous length of time child can use it for (to SQ)	35.4%
Situations where child can use it (eg, after finishing homework) (to SQ)	34.7%
What kinds of services child can use, pages child can view (to SQ)	28.3%
Purpose of using internet (eg references for homework) (to SQ)	24.4%
Where to use internet (eg living room only) (to SQ)	22.4%
Time limit on child’s usage (eg up to 8 hours a day) (to SQ)	22.1%
Following internet manners (eg no cyber-bullying) (to SQ)	21.4%
Priority on who can use internet (eg older sister first) (to SQ)	16.2%
Other (to SQ)	2.3%
No particular rules	23.7%

The percentage of people applying each of the categories of rules has increased by one to seven percentage points since last year.

Q5SQ: What did you reference in order to set these rules? (Sample size=4,303, multiple answer)

Based on own experiences, knowledge	85.2%
Rules supplied by school, local government	13.4%
Based on internet searches	12.2%
From book, magazine, newspaper	8.8%
Rules supplied by telephone company, provider	2.6%
Other	4.8%

Q6: What do your children do on the internet? (Sample size=5,637, multiple answer)

Games	63.7%
Study, homework-related search	53.9%
Hobby, entertainment-related search	53.3%
Viewing web sites, general surfing	31.1%
Online study	18.7%
Gathering local information	10.9%
Email (to SQ)	6.0%
Updating own blog, web page	2.2%
Chat (to SQ)	1.6%
Participating in bulletin board, SNS, blog, other community (to SQ)	1.4%
Other	4.5%

Q6SQ: What sorts of people do they communicate with? (Sample size=476, multiple answer)

Same-age children known from the real world	52.9%
Same-age children known from online only	25.4%
Family and relatives	25.4%
Adults known from the real world	8.6%
Adults known from online only	8.6%
Other	5.0%
Don’t know	13.9%

Q7: Do you know about “Information Moral Education”? (Sample size=7,657)

Know the details of it	18.6%
Know the outline of it	13.1%
Just heard the term	37.6%
Never heard it before	30.7%

Q8: How do you think Information Moral Education should be carried out for elementary school children? (Sample size=7,657, multiple answer)

Mainly learn from parents	63.1%
Mainly learn from school	28.0%
Best to just pick it as child uses the internet	13.9%
Learn from service provider or computer manufacturer	10.5%
Learn from computer school	2.3%
No real need for education	1.8%
Other	1.5%