"This report describes responses from pre-teens about their digital lives, delivering insights into their experiences, feelings, and concerns. While there are challenges in educating children aged 11-12 about online safety, hearing firsthand about their experiences can help direct our attention to their needs. From their perspective, it can seem as though the world is full of multiple threats, as incidents are reported in the news, and often exaggerated in moral panics, increasing parents’ worries about techno-harms. As expected at this age, they start the journey to becoming independent and discover the world more autonomously. Having recently started secondary school, they are likely to travel to school on their own. Many are using smartphones along with a range of other devices in the home that they have grown up with. They need the tools to tackle their new freedom with confidence.
Our aim is to protect and empower children online and offline. To that end, hearing directly from them offers vital insights. What we learned suggests that paying attention to the role of gender and the needs of more vulnerable children, might provide a much- needed nuanced approach. They should leave online safety sessions with a clear idea of how to recognise high risk situations, and to respond, get help, or take action if needed. Research has shown that a controlling approach is less successful than an empowering approach, and that by learning from offline safety education, well known pitfalls may be avoided in online safety; for example, lessons learned from drugs and sex education. As children report their concerns, feelings, and behaviours that may contribute to high- risk situations for them, we hope that this report provides insights into what lies behind the choices they make when handling difficult situations. The data from 248 students in year 7 was collected in the Spring of 2025 from two schools in one local area." (Introduction)