A study in the United States has revealed that virtually every toddler has been exposed to these devices.
The results of a new study have now revealed that four year old American children have nearly all used mobile technology such as smartphones and tablets at some point in their lives.
These outcomes led researchers to say that families are in urgent need of proper usage guidelines.
The study identified what they called a “digital divide” that ran as recently as 2013 in which there has been a kind of difference in the ownership of tablets among various income groups. The researchers used this most recent study to help to decide whether or not that gap was continuing to exist and, if so, to determine to what degree the difference in mobile technology access was persisting among the different income groups. In order to do this, researchers conducted a survey of the parents of 350 children aged six months to four years old.
The mobile technology study was conducted by researchers from Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia.
The report on the study was published in the Pediatrics journal. Leading the study was Dr. Hilda Kabali. At the moment, the publisher of the journal, the American Academy of Pediatrics, is recommending that parents eliminate any use of mobile screens among children younger than the age of two. The reason is that there are concerns with regards to the potential impact of these device in delaying a child’s learning of language.
By the age of two years, the majority of the children in the study were already using smartphones or tablets and the researchers found that these kids were spending a large amount of time in front of television and mobile device screens. For instance, the average daily screen time for a two year old was determined to be 44 minutes. That said, the average amount of time that children spent watching shows or videos on mobile devices was 29 minutes. Moreover, the average child in that age group also spent a daily 20 minutes using apps.
By the age of four years, 97 percent of children had used a mobile device. The researchers say that this reveals a decrease in the digital gap and have said that the decreasing cost of mobile technology as well as entertainment apps and popular streaming sites help to explain this trend.
Bitcoin may become the sixth largest reserve currency in the world by 2030
Digital currency is becoming a more powerful force in the global economy, especially as mobile commerce continues to grow in popularity. A new study from Magister Advisors and International Business Times predicts that Bitcoin, a famous, but relatively controversial digital currency, will become the sixth largest global reserve currency by 2030. Though Bitcoin is quite volatile in value, more consumers and businesses are showing favor for this currency as they become more committed to the digital world.
Digital currency is gaining support in Europe
Bitcoin is currently experiencing a very large increase in value, which is being fueled by a recent decision from the European Union, which has declared that Bitcoin is an actual currency and that it is exempt from value added taxes associated with exchange transactions. The study suggests that banks throughout the world will invest approximately $1 billion into Bitcoin and Bitcoin exchanges over the next two years. Banks are expected to make use of new processes for clearance and settlement in order to make Bitcoin more convenient for consumers to use in the future.
Bitcoin remains somewhat infamous due to its volatility
Digital currencies have become somewhat infamous, largely due to their volatile nature. In the case of Bitcoin, the currency has been unregulated for the majority of its existence. This has lead to major fluctuations in the currency’s value, with crashes in value leading to financial ruin for some individuals and organizations that have heavily invested in the currency. While 90% of Bitcoin’s value is held in speculation, the vast majority of transactions made with the currency are commercial transactions that are occurring in developing economies throughout the world.
Consumers show interest in Bitcoin as mobile commerce grows
Growing in popularity, Bitcoin for beginners AKA: newbies, has been catching on especially for mobile users. This is mainly due to the rising popularity of people taking care of their investment profiles via their phone. More consumers are relying on their mobile devices to do their shopping, both online and in physical stores, and Bitcoin represents a relatively easy way to make large purchases. As this trend continues to gain momentum, more retailers and banks are expected to show their support for this digital currency.
