Online safety app Aura recently unveiled a new report on kids’ and teens’ interactions online, including their use of AI companions. The report is called Overconnected Kids: Digital Stress, Addiction-like Behaviors & AI’s Powerful Grip.
Unsurprisingly, more and more of the younger generation are spending their time online. Nearly 20% of kids under 13 spend more than four hours a day on social media.
Aura’s report compares age verification barriers to screen doors on a submarine, with kids either bypassing the restriction, or spending as much time as they like after receiving parental consent.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has linked excessive screen time to increased anxiety and depression during critical developmental periods.
The study also reported on the use of AI companion apps, with kids and teens writing 10x as much to the AI companion as messages to their friends and parents. Startlingly, the most discussed topic with AI is Sexual or Romantic at over 36%, with Homework Help sitting at 13%.
Overall phone use is compared to compulsive cigarette addictions. The report identifies “compulsive unlocking,” where young people unlock and lock their phones in rapid succession. Girls also reported 17% higher digital stress, affecting self-image, mood, and social relationships.
The study uses Aura’s commercial data from more than 10,000 users, along with a specific enrolled study (TECHWISE) that includes over 300 children and parents across the United States. Interested families can join the TECHWISE study to earn up to $300 upon completing the 3-month, fully remote study.
Aura is a subscription-based safety tool that features credit monitoring, identity theft protection, parental controls, and more. It’s compatible with Windows PC, Mac, and iOS and Android mobile devices.
