Study shows Maltese minors as intense users of ICTs

MCA study shows that 98% of students attending primary school years 4 to 6 and secondary schools forms 1 to 4 have access to the Internet through games or social networking.

The majority of school children have access to the internet and technology but MCA concerned over minors between 8 to 11 years old with Facebook accounts.
The majority of school children have access to the internet and technology but MCA concerned over minors between 8 to 11 years old with Facebook accounts.

The Malta Communications Authority (MCA) published the results of a survey on the use of ICT by minors. 

The survey, carried out earlier this year among students attending primary school years 4 to 6 and secondary schools forms 1 to 4, confirmed that minors are generally “technologically savvy” and intense users of ICT applications.

The survey was carried out among students and their parents and gauged ICT access, use, and usage intensity.

The study showed that almost all respondents (98%) have a computer connected to the Internet at home.

While playing games over the Internet remains popular amongst the primary students, older secondary students appear to prefer applications that facilitate social interaction such as networking sites, chatting, messaging and video calling.

Facebook is the most popular social networking site among students with 90% of secondary form 3 and 4 students (13 to 15 years) claiming to have an account.

However, the MCA expressed concern that 41% of primary years 4, 5 and 6 (8 to 11 years) claimed to have a Facebook account, thus disregarding the age restriction (13 years) to join the network.

Generally, parents and their children demonstrate an awareness of the potential risks that the Internet may present and have shown a level of discretion with regard to whom they engage with and what messages they post online.  Nevertheless, a considerable number of students and parents appear overconfident and perhaps too trusting in the virtual world.

Commenting on these results, MCA’s Executive Chairman Ing Philip Micallef stated that, “the results obtained through surveys such as these serve to give us a better understanding and help us appreciate how the digital natives are using technology and its various applications and how these are impacting their lives.

“This is particularly important in view of our aspirations to build a society and an economy that is based on the opportunities brought about by ICTs.  Furthermore, we need to secure an environment that is conducive to our children’s development and wellbeing in this exciting digital age,” he continued.

Funded by the European Union’s Safer Internet Programme, the survey forms part of the BeSmartOnline Project, a national initiative that aims at promoting smarter use of ICTs and online applications amongst minors.

The study has been made possible through the support of the Education Directorates, the Secretariat for Catholic Education (Church Schools), the Independent Schools Association, the BeSmartOnline Consortium partners and the 36 schools that participated in the study.