Is your child’s phone safe? Adult content exposure nearly 3x higher on Android devices: Report
The most striking difference was in adult content. On Windows, adult content accounted for 1.91% of children's online activity. On Android, the figure jumped to 5.71%, almost three times higher
- Aug 26, 2026,
- Updated Aug 26, 2026 2:34 PM IST
For parents, keeping track of what children do online is becoming increasingly difficult. A smartphone gives children private, portable access to the internet, while computers are often used in more visible spaces at home. New Q1 2026 data on Indian children's online activity highlights a significant difference between the two, according to a report by Kaspersky Lab, a Russian company specialising in cybersecurity and anti-virus software.
Kaspersky analysed anonymised data from Indian users of its Safe Kids service across Windows and Android devices. The findings show that most children's online activity is centred on communication, media and other everyday digital activities.
But when it comes to potentially harmful content, Android devices recorded a substantially higher share of adult-content activity than Windows devices did.
READ THIS: Meta’s $200 Billion Trial: Did Instagram & Facebook Keep Kids Hooked?
Android records nearly three times the adult-content activity
The most striking difference was in adult content. On Windows, adult content accounted for 1.91% of children's online activity. On Android, the figure jumped to 5.71%, almost three times higher.
The data does not mean that every child spent 5.71% of their time viewing adult content. Rather, it represents the share of activity falling into that category within Kaspersky's anonymised dataset. For parents, the finding is particularly relevant because smartphones are portable and can be used away from direct supervision.
Jaydeep Singh, General Manager for India at Kaspersky, said parents should not assume that children's online activity will remain limited to familiar categories.
“It's encouraging to see that Indian children's time online is still anchored in communication, shared media, and everyday self-expression rather than pure entertainment,” Singh said.
He added that the presence of potentially harmful material remains a concern, particularly on mobile devices. “Mobile devices in particular are where we're seeing that gap widen, and that's exactly where parents need to stay closest,” Singh said.
DON'T MISS: Meta teen addiction trial: Instagram head says few teens knew safety tools; States to explore settlement
What are children actually doing online?
The report's numbers show that harmful categories do not dominate children's internet use.
On Windows, 43.44% of activity was categorised as Internet, Communication & Media, while 34.99% came from Software, Audio, Video. Combined, these represented 78.43% of activity.
Android showed a similar pattern. Internet, Communication, Media accounted for 39.86%, while Software, Audio, Video made up 34.89%. Together, these categories represented 74.75% of activity. The numbers suggest that children are primarily using the internet for communication, watching or accessing media and other everyday digital activities, rather than spending most of their time on potentially harmful websites.
DO READ: AI-generated music faces a chart ban in Australia. Here's what the new rules say
Android also sees higher e-commerce activity
Adult content was not the only category that differed between the two platforms.
E-commerce accounted for 5.70% of Android activity, while News media represented 4.69%. On Windows, News media stood at 8.43%. Meanwhile, Alcohol, Tobacco and Narcotics accounted for 0.26% of Android activity and 0.29% on Windows, showing little difference between the two platforms.
What does this mean for parents?
The findings suggest that parents may need to think beyond simply limiting screen time. The type of device, where it is used and how much supervision is possible can also matter.
Kaspersky recommends combining parental controls with conversations about online risks, clear rules, monitoring of digital activity and age-appropriate cybersecurity education. Its data also says that when category blocks for adult content, gambling and other harmful sites were already activated, corresponding visits were prevented in real time.
ALSO READ: Smartphone Brain: How Excessive Screen Time May Harm Children's Health | Sneha Mordani Explains
The second quote in the report comes from Purshottam Bhatia, Head of Consumer Business, South Asia, Kaspersky, who spoke about the company's Cyber Investigation Centres created with KidZania India in Mumbai and Delhi NCR.
“A child who has role-played spotting a phishing attempt at KidZania carries that instinct home, onto the same devices this data is flagging,” Bhatia said.
For families, the key takeaway is straightforward: most children's online activity is still routine and communication-focused, but mobile devices deserve particular attention because adult-content activity was 5.71% on Android versus 1.91% on Windows.
For Unparalleled coverage of India's Businesses and Economy – Subscribe to Business Today Magazine
For parents, keeping track of what children do online is becoming increasingly difficult. A smartphone gives children private, portable access to the internet, while computers are often used in more visible spaces at home. New Q1 2026 data on Indian children's online activity highlights a significant difference between the two, according to a report by Kaspersky Lab, a Russian company specialising in cybersecurity and anti-virus software.
Kaspersky analysed anonymised data from Indian users of its Safe Kids service across Windows and Android devices. The findings show that most children's online activity is centred on communication, media and other everyday digital activities.
But when it comes to potentially harmful content, Android devices recorded a substantially higher share of adult-content activity than Windows devices did.
READ THIS: Meta’s $200 Billion Trial: Did Instagram & Facebook Keep Kids Hooked?
Android records nearly three times the adult-content activity
The most striking difference was in adult content. On Windows, adult content accounted for 1.91% of children's online activity. On Android, the figure jumped to 5.71%, almost three times higher.
The data does not mean that every child spent 5.71% of their time viewing adult content. Rather, it represents the share of activity falling into that category within Kaspersky's anonymised dataset. For parents, the finding is particularly relevant because smartphones are portable and can be used away from direct supervision.
Jaydeep Singh, General Manager for India at Kaspersky, said parents should not assume that children's online activity will remain limited to familiar categories.
“It's encouraging to see that Indian children's time online is still anchored in communication, shared media, and everyday self-expression rather than pure entertainment,” Singh said.
He added that the presence of potentially harmful material remains a concern, particularly on mobile devices. “Mobile devices in particular are where we're seeing that gap widen, and that's exactly where parents need to stay closest,” Singh said.
DON'T MISS: Meta teen addiction trial: Instagram head says few teens knew safety tools; States to explore settlement
What are children actually doing online?
The report's numbers show that harmful categories do not dominate children's internet use.
On Windows, 43.44% of activity was categorised as Internet, Communication & Media, while 34.99% came from Software, Audio, Video. Combined, these represented 78.43% of activity.
Android showed a similar pattern. Internet, Communication, Media accounted for 39.86%, while Software, Audio, Video made up 34.89%. Together, these categories represented 74.75% of activity. The numbers suggest that children are primarily using the internet for communication, watching or accessing media and other everyday digital activities, rather than spending most of their time on potentially harmful websites.
DO READ: AI-generated music faces a chart ban in Australia. Here's what the new rules say
Android also sees higher e-commerce activity
Adult content was not the only category that differed between the two platforms.
E-commerce accounted for 5.70% of Android activity, while News media represented 4.69%. On Windows, News media stood at 8.43%. Meanwhile, Alcohol, Tobacco and Narcotics accounted for 0.26% of Android activity and 0.29% on Windows, showing little difference between the two platforms.
What does this mean for parents?
The findings suggest that parents may need to think beyond simply limiting screen time. The type of device, where it is used and how much supervision is possible can also matter.
Kaspersky recommends combining parental controls with conversations about online risks, clear rules, monitoring of digital activity and age-appropriate cybersecurity education. Its data also says that when category blocks for adult content, gambling and other harmful sites were already activated, corresponding visits were prevented in real time.
ALSO READ: Smartphone Brain: How Excessive Screen Time May Harm Children's Health | Sneha Mordani Explains
The second quote in the report comes from Purshottam Bhatia, Head of Consumer Business, South Asia, Kaspersky, who spoke about the company's Cyber Investigation Centres created with KidZania India in Mumbai and Delhi NCR.
“A child who has role-played spotting a phishing attempt at KidZania carries that instinct home, onto the same devices this data is flagging,” Bhatia said.
For families, the key takeaway is straightforward: most children's online activity is still routine and communication-focused, but mobile devices deserve particular attention because adult-content activity was 5.71% on Android versus 1.91% on Windows.
For Unparalleled coverage of India's Businesses and Economy – Subscribe to Business Today Magazine