New research has found that today’s tweens are far more tech-savvy than the young people that went before them, with many feeling that access to the internet directly impacts upon their happiness.

According to www.smh.com.au, 1200 children aged between six and twelve were polled in the Tween Tracker survey, with two-thirds being found to own mobiles and iPods and almost half holding Facebook accounts – despite being too young to have an account under Facebook’s rules.

The survey also found that two-thirds of tweens access the internet without parental supervision.

Social media expert Laurel Papworth told the news source that Facebook allows children to access a world away from their parents, where they are able to share with friends whilst developing their own identities.

"Managing how they connect is a better option than saying 'don't connect at all'," Papworth said, suggesting that tweens don’t access the internet in their rooms, but in a communal area where parents can better monitor their online activity.

The Tween Tracker study also found that access to limitless information on the internet has led a wide range of topics and issues to be opened up to tweens. Many said they are concerned about the environment, disease, poverty and terrorism.

"Uncle Google responds to every request for information overheard on TV and at the adult dinner table," Papworth said, adding that increased access to the internet has allowed children to shape more balanced views of the world.

"These kids seem less depressed. Perhaps rather than being preached at how bad the world is, they see more people changing it … a chorus of voices speaking out, rather than just the bad news in passive mode," Papworth said.

The survey, which was commissioned by Pacific Magazines, found that although online socialising is important to the age-group, many still favour reading books and magazines over surfing the internet.