Deadhouse Gates

Technology is helping families stay in touch like never before. Instead of driving people apart, mobile phones and the net are helping them maintain social ties. Families are also probably among the keenest users of technology. Using the net was has become a social activity within families, with parents browsing the web with their children. Some research rapports have looked at the differences in technology use between families with children and single adults, couples without children and adults who share a home but are not related. It often found that traditional so-called “nuclear” families were more likely to have more hi-tech gadgetry in their home than almost any other group it measured.

Multiple mobile phones were found in 89% of nuclear families and 66% had a high-speed net connection. The US national average for broadband is 52%. It also found that 58% of this type of family were likely to have more than two computers in the home. Many people use their mobile phone to keep in touch and maintain social ties with parents, siblings and children. Seventy percent of couples who both own a mobile use it every day to chat or say hello. In addition, it found, 42% of parents contact their children via their mobile every day. This led to 53% of those questioned saying that new technologies had increased the quality of their contact with distant family members, while 47% said it improved interaction with those they live with.

Welcome to the age of gadgets! =D