That's the latest take according to the highlights of the latest USC Annenberg Digital Future report (thanks Andrea!). From the press release:

The percentage of adults who said that the children in their households spend too much time using the Internet reached 25 percent of respondents -- an increase for the third year in a row and the highest percentage yet reported in the seven years of Digital Future Project studies.

A small percentage of adults (13 percent) said that the children in their households spend less time with friends, but that percentage increased for the third year in a row -- another new high for the Digital Future Project.

The number of adults who said that the grades of the children in their household has declined since the household started to use the Internet has grown for the second year in a row.

In a new question for the 2008 study, more than half of adults (53 percent) said that online predators are a threat to the children in their households. Only 24 percent of adults with children in their household disagreed with that statement.

In another new question, almost two-thirds of adults (63 percent) are uncomfortable with the children in their households participating in online communities. Only 15 percent of adults are comfortable with children participating in online communities.

There are more interesting stats in the release (.pdf). I wrote awhile back that the internet has a PR problem when it comes to parents -- this confirms it.

Remember, "Growing Up Online" is on Frontline tonight. Read the New York Times review (reg. required) and my blog post about the episode over at PBS. I want to know what you think of the program...

Posted by anastasia