More than 15 million Brits – 30% – have taken out their frustrations with internet devices on other members of their household
More arguments now stem from too much time spent on internet-connected devices (20%) than what to watch (17%), bills (15%) and dinner plans (14%)
One in five households (21%) have used tactics like curfews on device usage, confiscating tech and even disconnecting the router to prevent arguments
Meanwhile, parents of children aged under 18 have admitted that punishments like banning kids’ tech (31%) or internet use (24%) have overtaken the likes of grounding (15%) and stopping pocket money (13%)
Squabbles over the TV remote control, vegetables for dinner and enforced bedtimes are rapidly becoming household arguments of the past. More than 15.6 million Brits – or 30% – admit that they’ve taken out their frustrations over internet issues – such as slow-loading web pages and video buffering – on other members of the household, according to new research by Uswitch.com, the price comparison and switching service.
More arguments in the home now stem from people spending too much time using internet-connected devices (20%) – like laptops, smartphones and tablets – than what to watch on TV (17%), household bills (15%) and dinner plans (14%).
This newest battleground for households and families is perhaps reflective of the importance that Brits now place on their internet services, with nine in 10 (87%) people now agreeing that WIFI is a household essential. An average household of four now has eight internet ready devices, five of which get used on a daily basis.
On top of that, people tend to spend around 4.7 hours a day using internet connected devices – with the households containing 35-54 year olds coming out as the keenest users, clocking in five hours each of broadband time on a typical day.
Meanwhile, households of four will rack up a total of 18 hours of internet usage every day, which goes some way to explain why 41% of people living in these houses have taken their frustrations over internet issues out on someone they live with.
Curbing the usage
Broadband-related problems at home have prompted a fifth (21%) of households to bring in measures that prevent these arguments – implementing tactics such as curfews on device usage, confiscating devices, limiting the number of episodes that people can watch in one go, and even switching off the WIFI at the router.
For parents, cutting back on children’s usage of the internet and devices is now considered a more effective punishment than other conventional measures. Confiscating tech (31%) and banning internet access (24%) are more popular tactics than grounding (15%), stopping pocket money (13%) and giving extra chores (11%).
Perhaps surprisingly, parents with children under the age of 11 at home say they are more likely to clash (49%) over internet-related issues than those living with teenage children (44%) – overall though, those living with children of any age are much more likely to argue over broadband problems than people who don’t have children living at home (25%).
Ewan Taylor-Gibson, broadband expert at Uswitch.com, says: “Squabbles and arguments are inevitable in any household, but it’s an indication of how our lives have changed that so many are now a direct result of internet issues. Speed-related problems, such as video buffering, slow loading pages and intermittent internet service are among the issues that have sparked household tussles.
“We’re increasingly reliant on the web and internet-connected devices – and as technology becomes more advanced and we see more connected devices in the home, this is only likely to snowball.
“Whilst tech bans and internet curfews might prove popular in bringing balance to family life, there really shouldn’t be cause for family members to clash over bandwidth.
“With more than 95% of UK premises now able to able to access superfast services, it’s time to give consumers a better view of the sort of internet services they can expect to receive at home. Providing property specific speed estimates next to pricing is a no-brainer that would go a long way to ensuring consumers can see, at a glance, what service is best suited to their household’s needs. Household squabbles are inevitable but they really needn’t be about broadband speeds.”
Find out how you could save over £1,000 a year with Uswitch here.
Claire Jones
Phone: 020 7148 4663
Email: Claire.Jones@uswitch.com
Twitter: @uswitchPR
Notes to editors: Uswitch.com surveyed a sample of 2,004 UK adults from the 27th to the 29th of March 2018. Results have been weighted to reflect a nationally representative criteria. 773 respondents identified themselves as parents with children living at home.
Respondents were asked ‘Thinking about internet connected devices in the home, have you ever taken out your frustrations on someone else in the household over any of the following? Select all that apply’ The net response for those that have taken out their frustrations was 30%. The net response for ‘internet dropping out unexpectedly’ was 19%, ‘slow loading web pages’ was 14%, ‘intermittent internet service (cutting in and out)’ was 12%, ‘videos buffering’ was 11% and ‘slow film or music downloads speeds’ was 8%. There are 51,767,000 UK adults. 30% of 51,767,000 is 15,602,429.
Respondents were asked ‘Have you ever argued with someone in your home over any of the following? Select all that apply’ The net response for ‘Spending too much time using devices i.e. TVs, laptops, game consoles, smartphones’ was 20%, ‘What to watch on TV’ was 17%, ‘Bills’ was 15% and ‘What to have for dinner’ was 14%
Respondents were asked ‘Which of the following tactics have you employed to prevent arguments about technology at home? Select all that apply’ The net response for those that selected they have used prevention measures was 21%
Respondents with children aged under 18 were asked ‘Which of the following tactics have you used as a punishment for your children? Select all that apply’ The net response for ‘Confiscating tech’ was 31%, ‘Banning internet access’ was 24%, ‘Grounding (not letting them leave the house)’ was 15%, ‘Stopping pocket money’ was 13% and ‘Extra chores’ was 11%
Respondents were asked ‘To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: “These days having WIFI is a household essential”’ The net response for ‘Agree’ and ‘Strongly Agree’ was 87%
Respondents were asked ‘How many internet connected devices are there in your home? Please think about all smartphones, tablets/iPads, games consoles, smart TVs, laptops/PCs, etc. in your home, even the ones you don’t use.’ The net response for households with 4 people was ‘7.9 devices’
Respondents were asked ‘Of the internet connected devices in your home, how many tend to get used on a typical day? Please think about usage by any family members / people living in your household’ The net response for households with 4 people was ‘5.4 devices’
Respondents were asked ‘Thinking about individuals in your household, how much time does a typical person spend using internet connected devices on a typical day at home?’ The net response was ‘4.7 hours’. The net response for 35-54 year olds was ‘5 hours’. The net response for individuals in a four-person household was ‘4.5 hours’. 4.5*4 = 18 hours
Respondents were asked ‘Thinking about internet connected devices in the home, have you ever taken out your frustrations on someone else in the household over any of the following? Select all that apply’ The net response for individuals who have taken out their frustrations in a four-person household was 41%
Respondents were asked ‘Thinking about internet connected devices in the home, have you ever taken out your frustrations on someone else in the household over any of the following? Select all that apply’ The net response for those living with children under 11 that have taken out their frustrations was 49%. The net response for those living with children between 11-17 that have taken out their frustrations was 44%. The net response for those with no children that have taken out their frustrations was 25%
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