The Digital Wild West
Why Children Are Unavoidably Exposed to Harmful and Violent Content
The digital world is deeply integrated into children’s lives, often making online harms just as devastating as those faced in the physical world. While the internet offers opportunities for connection and learning, parents must be aware that the scale and urgency of online risks are increasing.
As many of you know, in my previous career, I was subjected to the results of horrific abuses visited upon children. It is for that reason I continue to blog for you all today, even though it sometimes causes me harm, it is still a price I am willing to pay if it helps even one of you to protect your child from becoming part of another forensic analyst's nightmares.
Thank you for sticking with me and supporting me on this long and winding journey as we try to keep up with technology and the very advanced youth of today! I bet more of you wish you had been a geek like me growing up………… Ok maybe no,t but then again that’s why you have a geek friend like me!
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Statistics are a good starting point, as many people understand the numbers and they quantify the misery that exists out there. The exposure of children to harm online is widespread and growing. According to recent data, 77% of UK children aged 9 to 17 have experienced harm online, an 8% increase in just one year. Think about that out of every 100 children aged between 9 - 17, 77 of them have been exposed to harm online!
Beyond the general distress this causes, children are facing serious risks related to contact and exploitation:
Contact from Strangers: Nearly one in five children (19%) aged 10-15 exchanged messages with someone online whom they had never met before in the last year. For older children, this is even more common; 13- to 17-year-olds are more likely to be contacted by strangers than 9- to 12-year-olds. Stranger danger still exists and has migrated to the online environment, where predators feel much safer.
Serious Offences: Over 9,000 child sexual abuse offences involved an online element in 2022/23. Furthermore, children under 18 were the subject of about a quarter of reported online blackmail offences in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Cyberbullying and Harassment: Statistics from the Republic of Ireland show that forty per cent of Irish children have experienced cyberbullying, and under-18s accounted for around a sixth of people who experienced online harassment offences.
I think these numbers are a shocking indictment of the technological world we find ourselves in and it shows that for all the good that technology has done, it has also enabled predators to become better and more efficient at what they do, but also provided them a level of protection by relying on the fact that children are generally more technically adept than parents. If you are still reading this, then you at least want to take steps to rectify that!
Children are regularly exposed to content deemed highly harmful, including categories defined by legislation as “Primary Priority Content”.
Pornography: Nine percent of children aged 9 to 17 report seeing pornographic content.
Content Promoting Self-Harm and Suicide: Material promoting or providing instructions for suicide, self-harm, or eating disorders is categorised as highly harmful. Children surveyed have reported that material about suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders is “prolific”.
Dangerous Challenges and Violence: Content encouraging dangerous stunts and challenges that are highly likely to result in serious injury is a concern. Around 1.7 million children (23% of those surveyed) reported seeing content promoting dangerous stunts or challenges. Additionally, children reported that violent content is “unavoidable” on platforms.
Hate and Abuse: Content that is abusive based on race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or gender reassignment, or content that incites hatred on these grounds, is classified as harmful to children.
There are enough news stories out there about the very real and physical dangers that exist in regards to the above categories of content and sadly, they have to keep being written as there simply isn’t an ongoing conversation on the subjects. I am hopeful that the regulators will start to brandish their new extended powers and that age verification will start to reduce these exposures but it will never remove the need for children to be educated on these dangers and the risks that they present to their safety and ultimately sometimes their very lives.
A key source of concern stems from how online platforms are engineered. Platforms, designed often for maximum financial gain, have not traditionally been built or designed with children’s rights in mind.
Algorithms Pushing Harm: Algorithms often prioritise engagement, which can lead to children being presented with the most harmful content. Platforms are expected to configure their algorithms to ensure children are not presented with this content. These “toxic algorithms” can recommend harmful content to children even without them seeking it out. Investigations have been initiated regarding algorithms potentially contributing to behavioural addictions and creating “rabbit-hole effects” in children.
Grooming and Exploitation: Online grooming, which involves manipulation to exploit and abuse individuals, is increasing rapidly. Grooming incidents surged by over 300% between 2021 and 2023.
Privacy and Data Risks: Children’s personal information can be exploited for commercial purposes or identity theft, posing a serious risk. Even educational applications (EdTech) have been found to collect data from young users, often engaging in practices that risk or actively violate children’s rights.
Anything created for good can be used for the purposes of evil; online platforms are no different. This is why communication with and education for parents and children alike is so very important. There is only so much that technical controls can protect against and for the gaps, we need to rely on defence in depth to provide layers of safety and security. In the case of online child safety, “Less is more” does not count and “more is always better” does!
Which leads me nicely into my last section. Despite these safety regulations being introduced, many protocols intended to protect children rely heavily on parental involvement, which can sometimes be difficult to manage with the rate of technological advancement.
Circumvention of Controls: Many parents utilise parental controls to limit what their children see online, but data suggests that about one in five children can disable these controls.
Underage Access: Children frequently access platforms and services well before they meet the minimum age requirement, exposing them to content and contact risks intended for older users, are you all aware that most social media platforms are advertised as 13-plus?
Children Concealing Harm: Children are increasingly hiding their negative online experiences. Research found that only 45% of children surveyed reported upsetting online experiences to a parent or trusted adult, and 36% did not disclose these experiences to anyone. This growing inclination to hide negative interactions makes parental monitoring critical but also the need for open and honest communication is key.
The consensus among child safety experts is that it is unacceptable to place all the emphasis on children and their parents to protect them. However, parental engagement remains a critical line of defence. Parents must talk to their children about internet safety and take an interest in what they do online. If you have followed me for any period of time, you will know that it has always been my first and most important advice, the ability for a child to approach you with a concern and have no fear of recriminations is extremely important. If a child wants to hide something from you, then believe me when I say you are highly unlikely to find out about it.
Tools and support are available, and meaningful conversations help empower children. For example, following a recent Safer Internet Day, 71% of parents felt better prepared to keep their child safe online, and 77% discussed safe internet use with their children.
Keep fighting the good fight, stay up-to-date and keep the conversations alive and kicking and remember I am here to guide you through the maze as we ensure your children enjoy their online experiences and flourish in life. I don’t want them to become just another statistic, nor should you.
As always, thank you for your support. Please share this across your social media, and if you do have any comments, questions, or concerns, then feel free to reach out to me here or on BlueSky, as I am always happy to spend some time helping to protect children online.
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