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"Smartphone adoption among American teens has increased substantially and mobile access to the internet is pervasive. One in four teens are "cell-mostly" internet users, who say they mostly go online using their phone and not using some other device such as a desktop or laptop computer. These are among the new findings from a nationally representative Pew Research Center survey that explored technology use among 802 youth ages 12-17 and their parents. Key findings include: 78% of teens now have a cell phone, and almost half (47%) of them own smartphones. That translates into 37% of all teens who have smartphones, up from just 23% in 2011. 23% of teens have a tablet computer, a level comparable to the general adult population. 95% of teens use the internet. 93% of teens have a computer or have access to one at home. Seven in ten (71%) teens with home computer access say the laptop or desktop they use most often is one they share with other family members. "The nature of teens' internet use has transformed dramatically - from stationary connections tied to shared desktops in the home to always-on connections that move with them throughout the day," said Mary Madden, Senior Researcher for the Pew Research Center's Internet Project and co-author of the report. "In many ways, teens represent the leading edge of mobile connectivity, and the patterns of their technology use often signal future changes in the adult population.""

"This goes against years of research showing that screens, in any capacity, do everything but help us fall asleep. In 2012, the American Medical Association's Council on Science and Public Health said that "exposure to excessive light at night, including extended use of various electronic media, can disrupt sleep or exacerbate sleep disorders." Sleep researchers say that looking at a blue light, which is produced by smartphone and tablet screens, sets off brain receptors that are designed to keep us awake and interferes with circadian sleep patterns. Experimental research has found that if people use a tablet for up to two hours before bed, it takes an extra hour to fall asleep."

In the popular press, much is made about how new digital technologies such as iPads and smartphones are revolutionizing family life. Children and parents alike now have a growing stream of new technological resources at their fingertips, offering increased opportunities for engagement, entertainment, and education. But while anecdotes about families and media abound, empirical evidence on national trends is much harder to come by. This study explores how parents are incorporating new digital technologies (iPads, smartphones) as well as older media platforms (TV, video games, and computers) into their family lives and parenting practices: * What does the family media and technology environment look like today? * How widely have mobile media technologies been adopted? Are they making parents' lives easier? * How does the role of newer technologies compare to that of "traditional" platforms like television, or to other technologies such as computers and video games? * How do parents use media and technology as a parenting tool, to help them get things done, or to educate their children? * What role do media and technology play in families' "together" time? * How do different parenting practices and parents' own levels of media and technology use affect the use patterns of children in the home? The study focuses on families with young children and explores what is actually happening in the lives of real families, from all walks of life. It is based on an extensive survey of a nationally representative sample of more than 2,300 parents of children from birth to eight years old. (The complete survey questionnaire and results are provided in the appendix.) The survey was informed by a series of four focus groups among parents of young children, conducted in California and Illinois. While parents' comments from the focus groups and from the survey are included throughout the report, the key findings a

"Did you read to your kids today? Did you park them in front of the television? Did you hand over your iPhone to keep them from whining at the grocery store? If so, you're not alone. A new study by Common Sense Media found that kids ages 0-8 spend an average of two hours a day with screen media like smartphones, video games, computers, television, and DVDs. And reading? They do that, too -- but not nearly as much as the other stuff."