Tide of online messages 'is harming our family life'.(News)

Byline: Simon Neville

FAMILY life is being disrupted because parents and children are overwhelmed by the tide of online messages they are receiving each day, claim researchers.

As a result one in three of us is now trying to cut down our use of Twitter, Facebook and email.

Surprisingly the Cambridge University study found children as well as adults preferred communicating face to face.

More than half of all families said it was important to keep some time 'technology-free', and a third of parents said technology had disrupted family life.

Among 25 to 34-year-olds, some 34 per cent admitted to feeling overcome by the volume of messages.

Perhaps surprisingly, the problem was more common among those aged ten to 18, who have grown up with social networking technology, with 38 per cent feeling overwhelmed.

The survey also discovered that 43 per cent of children and 33 per cent of adults are taking steps to reduce their reliance on social media. Professor John Clarkson, director of the Engineering Design Centre at Cambridge University, who conducted the survey, said: 'Communications technology is seen by most as a positive tool but there are examples where people are not managing usage as well as they could be - it is not necessarily the amount but the way in which it is used.' More than 1,250 adults were questioned in the study, which was paid for by BT - the country's biggest broadband provider.

The company recommended that parents limit family internet usage and ensure they know what their children are viewing online.

Justine Roberts, founder of parenting website Mumsnet, warned: 'Social media is something we have to keep a watch on because it can eat into your life.

'We encourage our members to switch off because otherwise you can't give your kids and husband the time they need.'