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Grandma sidelined by Google, study says

LONDON — British grandparents are in danger of being overlooked for advice by their grandchildren, who are more accustomed to searching for answers on the Internet, a survey showed this week. Almost nine out of every 10 U.K.
Reuters
LONDON — British grandparents are in danger of being overlooked for advice by their grandchildren, who are more accustomed to searching for answers on the Internet, a survey showed this week.

Almost nine out of every 10 U.K. grandparents claimed their grandchildren failed to ask them for advice for simple tasks, instead turning to online channels such as Google, YouTube and Wikipedia for information.

Answers on how to boil an egg, iron a shirt and even details on their own family history are now easily found by younger generations glued to their smartphones, tablet computers or laptops, according to the survey of 1,500 grandparents commissioned by cleaning-products firm Dr Beckmann.

“Grandparents believe they are being sidelined by Google, YouTube, Wikipedia and the huge resource of advice available on the Internet,” spokeswoman Susan Fermor said.

Almost two-thirds of grandparents felt their traditional roles were becoming less and less important in modern family life, with 96 per cent claiming that they asked far more questions of their own grandparents when they were young.