Tech-savvy tots

TODDLERS are becoming increasingly knowledgeable about technology, according to a report by media watchdog Ofcom.

Nearly half of three-and four-year-olds are competent users of electronic gadgets, with one in ten using an iPad to visit websites and play games.

The study also found that cyber-bullying was a big problem, while many under-13s were befriending strangers on social networks such as Facebook.

Researchers interviewed 200 families with children aged three and four and found 37% of children used the internet via a PC or laptop, with 3% surfing the net using a mobile phone.

“Children are not just using more media, they are also adopting some forms at a very young age,” said Claudio Pollack of Ofcom.

“This highlights the challenge that some parents face in keeping up with their children when it comes to technology and in understanding what they can do to protect children.”