A recent study by CyberSafeKids reveals that over 50% of eight-year-olds in less advantaged Irish areas own smartphones, compared to just 22% in more affluent regions. This digital disparity raises concerns, as children from lower-income backgrounds face greater exposure to potential online harms. The research surveyed nearly 5,000 students across 58 primary schools, combining both Deis and non-Deis classifications, highlighting the technological divide and associated risks affecting vulnerable communities in Ireland.
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.
Children from lower-income backgrounds have a higher level of exposure to harm than their peers in better-off districts.
The figures are taken from a CyberSafeKids assessment of almost 5,000 children in 58 primary schools, both Deis and non-Deis.
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