Of the 1,010 parents surveyed in the inaugural Trend Micro Australian Children & Mobile Device Survey, 64% of children aged 3-7, 63% of children aged 8-11 and 73% of children aged 12-15 either have their own mobile device or use their parent’s mobile devices.

The survey conducted by OMD Insights for security vendor Trend Micro found that, on average, 32% of parents don’t believe their children understand online safety.

And, parents say their greatest concerns about their children using mobile devices are access to inappropriate content.

The survey found that mobile devices are used by children for activities ranging from games to education and, when it comes to mobile security, three out of five parents said their children use passcodes and passwords, with the same ratio for use of antivirus and security software.

According to Trend Micro, when it comes to educating children about online safety, Australian parents seem to understand the importance of the issue, with an average of 81% saying they talk with their children about how to stay safe online.

The majority of children aged 8 to 15 spend between one and three hours per day on a mobile device, according to the survey, and for children aged 3 to 11, tablets are most predominantly used (60%), while smartphones are the device most used by children 12 to15 years of age.

Parents surveyed indicated that, on average, the most appropriate age for children to start using mobile devices is 10.6 years, however the survey reveals that mobile device exposure and ownership starts much younger.

“With mobile devices being such a huge part of everyday life for Australian youth, and children spending so much time online, it is crucial for parents to be highly aware of how they can best protect their kids,” said Tim Falinski, Trend Micro Director, Consumer, Australia and New Zealand.

“It is reassuring to see the results that Australian parents are educating their children about how to stay safe online, however with 32% of parents feeling that their children don’t understand online safety, clearly there is still a way to go with educating children on using the internet safely.

“With the benefits available to us through mobile devices, it’s great to see Australian children are using them for a variety of reasons that impact their lives in a positive way: everything from entertainment to education. As the use of mobile devices becomes more and more prevalent in the everyday lives of our kids, it’s crucial we teach them how to stay smart online in addition to taking the necessary measures, like ensuring the devices are secure against vulnerabilities and online attacks.”

Other key findings in the study include:

•    Mobile device usage: The main reason children use mobile devices are for games and apps, with 46% of parents saying that was the primary use. Learning and education comes second, with an average of 24% of respondents saying their children use mobile devices for it

•    Where devices are used: Children are most likely to use their mobile devices at home, with an average of 74% of respondents saying that’s where the devices are used the most

•    Parent’s concerns: When asked what are their greatest concerns about their children using mobile devices was, access to inappropriate content was the greatest concern to parents

•    Mobile devices in the classroom: 69% of parents say their child’s school use mobile devices for education. 70% of parents say they are more accepting of mobile devices being used in education compared to four years ago. 72% of parents believe that children who have access to mobile devices in education will have an educational advantage compared to their generation.