• by January 5, 2001

In two recently released studies of children's media and home technology use, Statistical Research, Inc. reports that almost 1/2 of kids 8 to 17 have no adult rules governing their television time, but households with children are much more likely to be high-tech, early-adopter homes.

Kids 8 to 17...
- 46% No adult rules governing television time
- 40% On-line without parental restrictions

Those with TV restrictions...
- 24% No adult content
- 24% Number of hours limited
- 20% No TV after a certain hour
- 17% Can watch certain channels only
- 16% No violence

And with Internet restrictions...
- 38% Number of hours limited
- 33% Can visit certain sites only
- 24% Can't visit certain sites
- 17% No adult content
- 5% No violence

SRI also found that there may be an important connection between households with advanced media technology and skateboards, scooters, and bubble-gum-flavored lip gloss. These studies show that households with children are two to four times more likely to demonstrate characteristics of high-tech, early-adopter homes which include ownership of two or more VCRs, three or more TVs, a cellular phone, and a dedicated phone line for the PC.

According to David Tice, SRI's Director of Client Services, "Homes with kids not only have more technology, but also help drive consumption by acquiring technology more rapidly."

For instance, 31 percent of the child homes that did not have a cell phone in 1997 had acquired one by this year, compared to 23 percent of the non-child homes that did not have a cell phone in 1997. And 32 percent of the child homes that were not on-line in 1997 were on-line by 2000, compared to 26 percent of the non-child homes that were not on-line in 1997.

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