Smartphones and many home IoT devices need to be updated regularly, but a survey showed that this can lead to tensions.

Do you and your family argue over who should keep the smart devices at home secure and patched regularly with the latest updates?

Going by a recent global Kaspersky survey, if you have this problem, you belong to the 35% of families bickering over such mundane chores!

According to the research, 62% of the 15,000 worldwide respondents in April 2021 had indicated that children and elderly relatives in the household needed help with updating devices. Additionally, deciding who does the updates can affect relationships at home, especially now with many people staying at home more often to comply with pandemic control restrictions.

The survey also showed that, regardless of whether respondents lived alone or with family, 77% of adults typically installed updates on devices at home by themselves. Instances where individuals were responsible for their own gadgets were less common (12%). At the same time, according to respondents, their partners (7%) and children (4%) rarely updated the smart devices.

In earlier research by the firm, 34% of surveyed adults found installing updates frustrating and annoying. Commented Marina Titova, Head of Consumer Product Marketing: “Because almost all members of modern families use gadgets, installing updates becomes a real family affair. The research results show that practically all family members are involved in this process to some extent. We see that 35% of respondents even argued with family members about the importance of updates, which probably shows how seriously users take the safety of themselves and their loved ones online. Timely installation of updates helps to not only gain access to new functions and interfaces but also to maintain a high level of device security. This will keep the personal data of all family members safe, as well as ensure the fast and optimal operation of all devices.”