Just got a note about a recently released Canadians and Technology survey from TELUS/Ipsos Reid.
Some findings ..
It should be no surprise that young Canadians are using the Internet. But that they are proficient at it by age seven, and use it as much as 1-5 hours a day - wow. I wonder how radically different it is being 7 these days than when I was 7 (back in '76).
Some other bits about kids and parents:
- 69 per cent of parents think it’s important for children to be technology-savvy from an early age
- 44 per cent of Dad’s believe limiting their children’s use of technology will hold them back
- Eight in ten (82 per cent) parents say one of the reasons their child has a cellphone is so they can stay connected to the child when they’re not around
These surveys always have interesting gender and geographic breakdowns.
Gender-wise ...
- Most women have a Facebook account (75% compared to 61% for men) and 34% of men don’t have any social networking accounts vs 22% for women.
- 50% of women say that they use social networking sites to keep in touch with their family vs. 56% of men that use social networking sites to keep in touch with their friends.
Geographically speaking ...
PVR Use and Getting Quality Time
- Most QC respondent watch TV live (92%) compared to 40% who record their shows.
- Most Albertans watch TV live (87%) compared to 43% who record their shows.
- Most British Columbian watch TV live (84%) compared to 40% who record their shows.
- 57% of Albertans say that their PVR helps them spend quality time with their family because they can watch their favourite shows together (57% Calgary and 60% Edmonton)
- 52% of BC respondents say that their PVR helps them spend quality time with their family because they can watch their favourite shows together
Love Connection - Cellphones
- 22% of Ontarians use their cellphone to stay connected to their significant other
- 25% of BC respondents use their cellphone to stay connected to their significant other
- 26% of Albertans use their cellphone to stay connected to their significant other
- 23% of QC respondents use their cellphone to stay connected to their significant other
- Most of Ontarians use social networking sites to keep in touch with friends (66%) and family (44%)
- More than half of Quebec respondents use social networking sites to keep in touch with friends (56%) and family (33%)
- Most of BC respondents use social networking sites to keep in touch with friends (65%) and family (43%)
- Most of Albertans use social networking sites to keep in touch with friends (69%) and family (51%)
- 32% of Albertans say that they use their landline the most to connect with their best friends (29% Calgary vs 32% Edmonton) but use email (24%) or social networking sites such as Facebook (21%) with their other friends
- 33% of BC respondents say that they use their landline the most to connect with their best friends but use email to connect with their other friends (31%)
- 31% of QC respondents say that they use their landline the most to connect with their best friends but use email (26%) with their other friends
The survey was released by TELUS and Ipsos Reid. TELUS partnered Barry Wellman, S.D. Clark Professor of Sociology at the University of Toronto (specializing in community sociology, the Internet, human-computer interaction and social structure, as manifested in social networks in communities and organizations) and Kathy Buckworth, mother of four and author of the BlackBerry Diaries.
There's a great piece by Gillian Shaw in the Vancouver Sun that covers a few more of the findings. One of my fav things in the piece is this quote from Wellman:
"Canadian families have moved from being groups to being social networks. Each family member goes about their separate agendas, but links up at night and by new media throughout the day. Their lives have expanded beyond homes and neighbourhoods."
This sentiment is seen (though not conclusively) in the study data. Reflecting on technology and its role in the family, Canadians say that technology not only helps their family stay organized but that it helps to improve relationships. Most (83%) of the 36% Canadians who ‘strongly agree’ that technology helps keep their family organized also say that the Internet has improved their connection with family and friends. One in three (35%) Canadians say that technology has made their family feel closer together. Conversely, just 7% say the opposite. Similarly, two in three (66%) ‘agree’ (12% strongly/54% somewhat) that technology helps them stay connected to friends and family.
I'm delighted that we're starting to see more stories and examples of technology being a positive force rather than the isolating bug-a-boo that has all of us living in basements in our PJ's and feasting on Cheetos.
Photo Credit: Wesley Fryer
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