Common Sense Media research shows a dramatic increase in screen time for kids and Samsung’s Galaxy A53 is its latest entry-level handset.

Tweens and teens had a lot more screen time in the last two years

A new report from U.S. based Common Sense Media shows that media use by kids aged 8 to 18 increased faster since the covid-19 pandemic began than it did in the fours years prior.

“Media Use by Tweens and Teens, 2021” shows that media use increased seventeen percent, to 5:33 for 8 to 12 year olds and to 8:39 for 13 to 18 year olds, not including time spent on devices to support school work.

Common Sense is careful not to make judgments about whether this trend is good or bad, but does suggest that parents know what their kids are doing with those devices and screens, and help children “make smarter choice online”.

What the organization does warn about is the increasing use of social media among the tweens, who technically are not allowed to have accounts. Thirty-eight percent of 8 to 12 year olds surveyed said they were using social media.

The data come from an Ipsos survey of U.S. kids. In Canada, where mobile data rates are much more expensive, it’s possible that the amount of time on screens is lower, but I suspect that the trends are the same.

Samsung announces new edition of entry-level Galaxy A handset

If you’re in the Apple ecosystem, the iPhone SE is your choice for a full-featured smartphone that gives up a few bells and whistles for a lower cost.

But if you prefer Android, Samsung has you covered with the Galaxy A series, and last week the company revealed the latest model, the Galaxy A53 5G ($590).

The new model gets a slightly larger battery – Samsung claims two days of use on a charge – as well as 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage that can be expanded with a micro SD card.

It’s also got a quad-camera system including a macro, an ultra-wide, and depth lenses, and a 32 MP front camera.

You can preorder the Galaxy A53 5G; it releases on April 1.