"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 t ... heir 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) more

"Teens remain enthusiastic about life online: 87% go digital to manage or calm emotions. They relax, chat with friends, listen to music, or find out what they want to know. Most importantly for them, they connect with friends. They also use it to fend off boredom (which ‘can let in anxiety’). Ov ... er 2/3 say, it is ‘my main entertainment’. Around half go online to ‘escape my issues’. 47% feel more accepted when online, while three quarters feel more confident when on a screen. Digital access: 85% have their own phone with wi-fi access. 68% of 11yr olds, 89% of 13 olds and 97% of 15 year olds have their own phone with wi-fi access. The impacts of life on screens: While this is hotly debated amongst adults, here teenagers talk about how time on screens makes them feel. Responses are grouped into four parts: A) Benefits include: ‘feeling closer to my friends through social media 81%, or via gaming, 69%. Three quarters or 75% feel more confident when on a screen. They value creativity, the privacy and autonomy of finding out whatever they want, and the ability to ‘escape my issues’ or access entertainment and relaxation. B) ‘Electronic mood management’ explores how large numbers of teens use technology to manage their emotions. Contrary to popular myths, 80% hardly ever/never feel anxious after spending time on social media. 6% often feel anxious. C) 'Body mage and perception of others’ play a large role in online life: Almost 1 in 4 always or often believe that ‘Other people have a better life than me,’ Almost 1 in 5 say ‘Because of what I see online I’ve often tried to change my body shape’. D) Acceptance: Some feel it is easier to be accepted online or to ‘find people like me’. This is particularly true for young people who are unsure where they fit in, or those with a disability. Accessibility tools are widely used. Identifying who is most at risk: The survey also explores those who are more likely to describe negative impacts such as teens with an eating disorder, or a mental health difficulty; those who worry about life at home, and those with vision or hearing loss, speech difficulties, young carers, children in care and those with other challenges. The findings in this survey remain consistent with our published research. This minority are less safe online then their peers, they are more likely to become anxious or depressed after time online (or offline) and need help to manage their online lives. Alongside experiencing problems and harms online, they tend to be living with offline difficulties, and emotional health concerns. Some report multiple vulnerabilities. For those living with challenges, and dealing with powerful emotions, or without the means to go out for entertainment, the internet plays a different role. It can represent both a refuge and a risk. Being deprived of it can cause deep distress. Belonging and trust, or feeling left out: Boys are more likely to feel a sense of belonging and trust at school, whereas only 1/3 of girls say ‘school is a place where I feel I belong’ and ‘there is an adult I trust at school’. Teens need to feel they can turn to parents or trusted adults if they need to, and that they belong to and are valued in a community and also among friends. Compared to teens who never feel left out, those who do, described more anxiety, were less able to recover when things went wrong online, and were more likely to add unknown people as friends." (Executive summary, pages 4-6) more

"The Cybersurvey is an annual survey exploring online life and wellbeing among 11-17year olds. Data is gathered in the autumn term. In 2020/21 collection lasted from November 2020 until February 2021. Wellbeing year on year 2019/2020: More young people said they had a mental health difficulty in 202 ... 0, 12% vs 8%. 68% felt nervous and anxious, among whom 23% felt this way ‘most of the time. Twice as many worry about life at home. Sleep, concentration and appetite, were reduced. 6% fewer teens felt happy most of the time. They also said: other people are less likely to ‘notice that I am not OK.’ Worries became more dominant in 2020: 30% say, ‘sometimes my worries affect my life’ and 34% ‘sometimes can’t make my worries go away’ compared to 25% and 32% in 2019. [...] Harmful content: Asked whether they have ‘come across’ harmful content of various types, we note year on year increases in the viewing of content about: Bulking up your body 28% to 34%; talking about suicide 25% to 31%; pressure to be very thin 23% to 27%; unsought nude images 23% to 26%. [...] Hardly ever or never feeling positive: In 2020, the following young people said they hardly ever or never feel positive: 51% of those with an eating disorder and 44% of teens with a mental health difficulty; 43% of teens who worry about life at home; 36% of teens with who get angry or irritable easily; More than 1/3 of teens with hearing loss and 31% who have speech difficulties; 29% of each of the following groups hardly ever or never feel positive about things: young people in or leaving care; those who feel they or their family are badly affected by COVID19; autistic teens and 28% of young carers. Cyberbullying and Cyberaggression: While Cyberbullying has remained stable overall, at 20% of the sample, one third of Covid affected young people have been cyberbullied. Cyberaggression has increased since 2019: sexist insults (16 vs 12%), homophobic insults (17 vs 15%), racist insults (14 vs 13%) and insults about appearance (25 vs 23%)." (Executive summary, pages 4-5) more

"Young people’s behaviour online is influenced less by rules about online safety than about how they feel. It is influenced by emotional needs, pre-existing vulnerabilities and the support around them. Implications for professionals 1. These messages from young people can help those working in ser ... vices for children to be alert to harmful content - even when this is not immediately obvious. Pro-anorexia, self-harm material, or content about suicide is very widely seen by all young people and vulnerable groups in particular. 2. Known offline vulnerability should be included in the assessment of any case with a primarily digital component. The impact of multiple or cumulative vulnerabilities present concurrently, or perhaps in the child’s past, may contribute to the extent to which they at risk they might be online. 3. In safeguarding practice: while one risk may be the cause of the referral, there may be other online issues, possibly even more serious, that have not been disclosed. Relationships found between risk types, show that it is likely that others have been experienced or might yet be encountered. 4. Evidence is now being published on the impact on young people of lockdown life during a pandemic - when the role of the digital world in our lives has immensely increased. Research by Young Minds among 2,111 young people (aged 13-25) with a history of mental health needs describes worsening mental health for 83% of respondents. Many reported heightened anxiety, sleep problems, panic attacks and increased urges to self-harm (among those with a history of doing so). A quarter of these young people no longer had access to mental health support as a result of the pandemic. Worsening mental health among children and young people has also been noted by Barnardos. The Children’s Society had reported a decline in children’s well-being predating COVID-19. Children’s mean happiness with their lives was at its lowest since 2009/10.15 Given the rise of mental and emotional health issues, professionals should consider the digital lives of those they are supporting and assessments should include this." (Conclusion) more

"“Vulnerable children are more likely to be at risk from online dangers than their peers, and it’s vital that professionals working with young people understand the risks and how to help keep children safe. This Internet Matters report is a very welcome resource, explaining why we need to incorp ... orate online risks into assessments and support. This is about responding to children’s lived experiences in the digital age. We would urge everyone working with vulnerable children to engage fully with the report’s findings and recommendations.” (Page 5) more