Mobile Life Carphone Warehouse, the British mobile phone retail chain, in conjunction with the London School of Economics, has released its fifth Mobile Life report, a comprehensive study into the technology usage habits of children and adults in the UK and US.

While the press release stresses online safety concerns for children, with a significant difference between a parent’s understanding of their child’s online activity and the reality of content being accessed, the report itself is much broader in scope.

Here are some of the key findings:

  • Mobile replaces TV as the most essential technology
  • Holidays are incomplete without some online interaction
  • The internet plays a central role in planning free time
  • Nearly one in three young people prefer chatting to friends online than face to face
  • One in three UK kids and one in four US kids argue with their parents about how long they spend online
  • The internet is crucial for maintaining networks of family and friends
  • One third of adults admitted checking their partners’ email
  • 14% of kids have found themselves in a situation which made them feel uncomfortable
  • Only 2% of UK adults still uses letters to stay in touch with friends