Children spend 4 to 6 hours a day using digital devices, survey finds

The latest survey found that primary students spend an average of four hours daily using electronic products, much longer than the health authority's recommendation.

The Hong Kong Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) interviewed about 770 parents of primary students through questionnaires from July to October last year.

Results showed the time children spend on digital devices watching videos and playing games is around 4 hours per day, double the recommended time limit by the Department of Health.

The time they have spent even increased to 6 hours during holidays.

The survey also found that kids would spend more time using electronic products if their parents tended to use e-devices.

Parents tend to take stricter measures if their children do not adhere to limiting their screen time, with more than half of them resorting to "confiscating devices."  A third of the respondents will scold their kids, while 18 percent choose to turn off Wi-Fi. 

Over half of the surveyed parents have had conflicts in the past three months with their kids due to issues related to electronic device usage.

Parents were also urged to avoid exposing young children to electronic products too early and replace them with books or educational toys to prevent the phenomenon of "electronic pacifiers."