A total of 46% of participants aged 9–17 in the Kazakhstan Kids Online study reported that they first accessed the internet between the ages of 5 and 8.
Elvira Yausheva — Acting UNICEF Representative in Kazakhstan shared the findings at Astana Media Week 2026, El.kz reports.
Yausheva presented the findings of the study conducted by UNICEF in cooperation with the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan. She noted that the digital environment had become an integral part of children’s lives, influencing how they learn, perceive the world and interact with one another.
“46 % of participants in our study, aged 9–17, reported that they first accessed the internet between the ages of 5 and 8. This is a very young age — well before the minimum age at which social media platforms permit users to register,” she noted.
According to the data presented, 60% of respondents use the internet for school assignments almost every day, while 66% use social media at least daily.
Yausheva emphasised that digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) create opportunities for learning, communication and self-expression. In particular, AI can help make educational materials available in more languages and adapt them to the needs of children with disabilities.
At the same time, she highlighted the associated risks. Personalised feeds influence the information children are exposed to, while chatbots may provide incorrect answers in a confident and authoritative tone. This increases the likelihood that children will accept inaccurate information as true.
“For UNICEF, children’s rights are the foundation of any new architecture of trust,” Yausheva stressed.
According to her, digital systems must safeguard children’s privacy and safety while supporting their development and taking into account their diverse needs and abilities.
