Overexposure to technology 'makes children miserable' Young people's brains were failing to develop properly after being overexposed to the cyber world at an early age, she claimed. According to figures quoted by the ONS, almost 85 per cent of children born in 2000/01 have access to a computer and the internet at home. Some 12 per cent have their own computer and the same proportion had a personal mobile phone. Separate data showed that six per cent of children aged 10-to-15 used online chatrooms or played games consoles for more than four hours on an average school day. But the report - published as part of an ongoing investigation into national wellbeing - said: "While playing games consoles and chatting on social media sites can enhance children's recreational and networking experiences, there are risks with excessive usage." It added: "Children in the UK who had access to computer games, games consoles and internet use at home for less than an hour on a normal school day also reported better well-being than those who used these facilities for four hours or more. Children who spend too much time chatting on line may also be at risk of unwanted attention and harassment. The report said that children exposed to technology for lengthy periods of time were at greater risk of being targeted by cyber bullies and "perverted individuals." There was also a danger of "obesity because of lack of physical activity," said the ONS.