Young people and the internet

Research published by internet security solutions provider McAfee and the Anti-Bullying Alliance found that 14 to 15 year old teenagers are most likely to adopt risk-taking behaviours and overshare online, putting themselves in potentially harmful situations and at risk of cyber-bullying.

The research, published in the run up to Safer Internet Day on Tuesday 11 February, revealed that 14 to 15 year olds spend more time on social media than any other age group, with a fifth spending over four hours logged on every day.

These teens risk making themselves more vulnerable to abusive and bullying behaviours by digitally exposing themselves through sharing too much personal information online with:

• 11 percent having shared revealing videos or photos of themselves
• One in 10 having seen an inappropriate, revealing or pornographic image of someone they know online; and
• Seven percent admitting to ‘liking’ an unkind image of someone they know.

In addition:

• 23 percent of 14 to 15 year olds surveyed had seen a porn image online of someone they didn’t know;
• 19 percent confessed to visiting a website that their parents would not approve of; and
• Over half confessed to hiding their online activity from parents, with 24 percent actively deleting their browsing history.

Findings also showed that children and young people need help to understand what is and isn’t appropriate behaviour online, and with recognising the potential consequences of their actions, with:

• Around 34 percent of respondents had witnessed cruel behaviour online, whilst 22 percent had been subjected to it themselves, half of whom admitted it left them feeling upset or angry;
• 15 percent had been on the receiving end of foul or abusive comments and seven had been told they were fat or ugly.
• Peer pressure was also most prevalent for this age group, with 19 percent of respondents admitting they had looked up sexual, violent and other inappropriate content due to pressure from friends, girl/boyfriends.

The same age group displayed a need to be guided on online etiquette with only 23 percent able to see that their cruel and abusive comments may be considered mean to the person on the receiving end, with the same number seeing these comments as just banter.

When it came to stranger danger:

• 11 percent of 14 to 15 year olds had been approached by an adult they did not know online;
• 32 percent of those teens approached had then shared inappropriate things such as pictures of themselves with that stranger which they later regretted; and
• 20 percent reported meeting that adult in person before realising the relationship was inappropriate.

For further information visit www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/press-centre/teens-take-risks-online-and-expose-themselves-to-cyberbullying.aspx?utm_content=buffer4b878&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer.

In addition, the National Crime Agency has launched a range of internet safety resources for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people, their parents, carers and teachers.

For further information visit www.youngminds.org.uk/news/blog/1875_nca_launches_new_internet_safety_advice_for_lgbt_teenagers. To access the resources visit www.thinkuknow.co.uk.