Northern Ireland parents favour teaching internet safety over banning access, new research finds
Sunday 08 November 2026
Almost nine in ten parents of primary school children in Northern Ireland believe youngsters should be taught how to use the internet safely rather than have access banned altogether, according to new research highlighting the growing importance of digital skills in family life.
The study, commissioned by broadband provider Fibrus, found that 89% favour a ‘teach, not ban’ approach, while just 11% believe internet access should be completely restricted.
Four in five parents (80%) now regard safe internet use as an essential life skill, placing it ahead of swimming, handling money and riding a bicycle.
The findings reveal a striking balance in parental attitudes: while families recognise the risks associated with children going online, many also see digital access as increasingly important to education, creativity and future opportunities.
Internet safety ranks among essential childhood skills
The research asked parents which abilities they considered essential for primary school children as they prepare for their teenage years.
Safe internet use was ranked as essential by 80% of Northern Ireland respondents, compared with 75% across the UK.
Among the skills assessed, parents gave the following ratings:
• Telling the time using an analogue clock – 86%
• Using the internet safely – 80%
• Swimming – 77%
• Tying shoelaces – 75%
• Handling money – 72%
• Riding a bicycle – 63%
The findings suggest that digital safety is increasingly being regarded alongside traditional practical skills, rather than simply as a matter of supervising children's screen time.
Parents in Antrim and Down were the most likely to consider safe internet use essential, with 82% in both counties expressing that view. The figure was 79% in Armagh and 74% in Derry/Londonderry.
Parents distinguish internet access from social media restrictions
The findings come amid continuing debate over proposals to restrict social media access for under-16s.
A UK Government survey cited in the research indicated that nine in ten parents supported an under-16 social media ban in June 2026. However, the Fibrus findings suggest parents make a distinction between restricting access to social media platforms and preventing children from using the wider internet.
Across Northern Ireland, 89% supported teaching children to navigate the internet safely, including understanding when to switch off.
Support for this approach was highest in Derry/Londonderry at 92%, followed by Antrim and Down at 88% each, and Armagh at 85%.
More than three-quarters of parents (77%) also believed that learning to use the internet safely from an early age would open up greater opportunities for their children than they themselves experienced.
That optimism was strongest in Derry/Londonderry, where 85% agreed, compared with 71% in Armagh. Fewer than 1% believed the internet would offer their children fewer opportunities.
Broadband increasingly linked to education and opportunity
The research also highlights how deeply internet access has become embedded in children's education.
Some 95% of Northern Ireland parents reported relying on the internet to help their children with homework, rising to 98% in Antrim and 96% in Derry/Londonderry. The figure was 87% in Down.
Maths and numeracy were the subjects most frequently requiring online support, identified by 60% of respondents. In Derry/Londonderry, that proportion reached 67%.
More than half of parents (54%) also valued the internet for developing creative abilities, including drawing, music and video editing.
In Down, 57% highlighted creative skills, while 29% identified coding or programming, compared with 15% in Antrim.
Beyond day-to-day schoolwork, nearly two-thirds of Northern Ireland parents (64%) agreed that a child's broadband connection now affects their future opportunities as much as the school they attend.
Agreement was particularly strong in Armagh at 81%, compared with 68% in Derry/Londonderry, 61% in Antrim and 57% in Down.
These figures reflect parents' perceptions of the importance of connectivity, rather than independently establishing that broadband access and school choice have an equivalent effect on children's outcomes.
Family entertainment and everyday essentials
The research also examined what households value most about being connected.
Almost half of Northern Ireland families (47%) said streaming television together would be the activity they would miss most if their internet connection disappeared.
That figure rose to 51% in Derry/Londonderry and 50% in Antrim, compared with 41% in Down.
Working from home was particularly important to parents in Down, where 20% identified it as the activity they would miss most, compared with 12% in Derry/Londonderry.
Broadband was also ranked as one of the most important household essentials, second only to electricity in the research.
Some 60% of respondents selected broadband, narrowly ahead of a car at 58%.
In Armagh, 58% chose broadband compared with 40% choosing a car. The figures were much closer in Down, at 64% and 63% respectively.
The results illustrate how internet access now supports multiple aspects of family life, from education and employment to entertainment and staying connected.
Fibrus calls for safeguards alongside digital opportunities
Colin Hutchinson, Managing Director of Fibrus, said the findings demonstrated the need to balance the benefits of connectivity with measures that help children use technology responsibly.
“In a year that has seen much debate around the use of the internet safely, there is no doubt that it requires continued effort from industry and users alike to discuss, understand and develop some guardrails around its usage.”
He said the company had sought to understand how the internet could benefit families, particularly as younger children approach an age when their online independence is likely to increase.
“We absolutely agree that safe use of the internet is a necessary life skill and that’s why we’ve shaped a primary school targeted internet safety booklet and have been rolling out workshops across Northern Ireland and Cumbria.”
Mr Hutchinson also highlighted the importance of broadband connectivity for rural communities, where access to digital services can help overcome geographical barriers.
“We have seen firsthand how giving rural communities access to essential utilities - often taken for granted in cities - empowers people to thrive both personally and professionally.”
He added:
“The internet is not all bad and with the right measures in place, it can really enable people to learn, play, connect and create.”
A changing challenge for parents and schools
The findings point to a challenge facing families and educators: helping children develop the judgement to recognise online risks while retaining access to educational resources and opportunities.
Although the research records strong parental support for digital education, it does not establish which safeguards or teaching methods are most effective. Details of the survey's sample size and methodology were not included in the supplied findings.
For parents across Northern Ireland, the central message emerging from the study is that internet safety is no longer viewed simply as a set of restrictions. Increasingly, families regard it as a practical skill children need to develop as they grow towards independence.
