PRESS RELEASE 26.04.2023
Rapid digitalisation has raised new questions for parents and guardians concerning the safety and time use of children and young people. Puhelinparkki, developed jointly by telecommunications group DNA and Protect Children, helps keep children safe in digital environments and supports the whole family in regulating their use of digital devices.
Digital environments offer a wealth of new and instructive content to both children and adults alike. However, children need support learning digital safety skills and ensuring regular breaks in their use of digital devices. Puhelinparkki or "phone parking lot" is a box where smart phones can be left for example at night, helping to limit smart device use.
“Smart phones are important communication devices that help keep children safe. They are also a gateway to a wide variety of content, some of which is not healthy, especially for children. It is important to learn to identify situations where smart devices have no place at an early age. With Puhelinparkki, we want to communicate that it is important to come to an agreement on smart device use and talk about good practices together”, says DNA’s SVP, Communications, Sustainability and Brand Development Vilhelmiina Wahlbeck.
Research findings are demonstrating the importance of encouraging children to limit their use of digital devices.
“Children’s everyday lives are increasingly digital. The presence and support of a safe adult in their digital lives, as well as practicing digital safety skills together, helps protect children. Puhelinparkki is a way to ensure regular breaks from using digital devices and especially supports calming down in the evenings, helping children get a good night's sleep. Promoting the realization of the best interests and rights of the child is every adult's responsibility.", says Protect Children’s Executive Director, Nina Vaaranen-Valkonen.
Families, guardians, children and young people all want practical advice, information and support
Children and young people can struggle to talk about confusing situations and content they encounter in digital environments. Regular conversations about the digital environment with a safe adult create an important foundation for children and young people to build their digital safety skills on. Developed for the whole family, Puhelinparkki is a tangible tool for setting shared rules and balancing the use of digital devices.
DNA’s soon-to-be-published School Survey, which delves into the digital device use of school-aged children and young people, reveals that more than one in three have wanted to reduce the time they spend on their phones. This shows that children themselves may also want to restrict their screen time. Puhelinparkki is one way of supporting this desire.
How to use the Puhelinparkki (phone parking lot)?
1. Place the Puhelinparkki In a spot everyone agreed on.
2. Now you can set shared rules and practices for restricting the time you spend on your devices. Discuss at what time you should all place your phones down for a break or away for the night In the Puhelinparkki.
3. Decide together how you want to reward yourselves for sticking to the rules. How about a game night, a movie or a favourite meal at the end of a successful week?
Puhelinparkki is especially useful in the evenings, because it helps you calm down and get a good night’s sleep. Puhelinparkki helps protect children in the digital environment and ensures regular breaks when using digital devices.
Media enquiries:
www.dna.fi/puhelinparkki (in Finnish only)
Vilhelmiina Wahlbeck, SVP, Communications, Sustainability and Brand Development, DNA Plc, tel. +358 (0)44 040 1671, vilhelmiina.wahlbeck(at)dna.fi
Nina Vaaranen-Valkonen, Executive Director, Protect Children, tel. +358 (0)40 747 8829, nina.vaaranen-valkonen(at)suojellaanlapsia.fi
DNA Corporate Communications: tel. +358 (0)44 044 8000, communications(at)dna.fi
Protect Children is a non-profit organisation located in Helsinki. Protect Children takes a research-based, holistic approach to preventing all forms of sexual violence against children