7 in 10 children encounter harm online, as two-thirds of parents admit they don’t have broadband controls in place 

Seven in ten children aged 9-13 (71%) say they have been exposed to harmful experiences or content online – but most parents do not use broadband controls or safe search filters – according to new research released today by Internet Matters.

The figures – released when children are going back to school this week and 11-year-olds make the leap to secondary school – show that 20% of 9-13 year olds have been contacted by a stranger, while 17% have seen content that promotes dangerous online stunts or challenges.

Other harmful online experiences reported by children in this age group include coming across hate speech (13%), coming across mis/disinformation (15%) and one in ten (10%) have seen violent content or content that promotes violence.

The research investigated 9-13 year olds as it is an age group where many may be getting their first smartphone and have increased access to the digital world. It’s an age where they are becoming both independent and curious, but are potentially more naive about online threats.

Children in this age group are spending 23.2 hours online each week, 2 hours more online than their parents realise. Parents are therefore underestimating the amount of time their children spend online, which unknowingly may further expose and leave them open to potential risks.

The research from Internet Matters revealed that three quarters (74%) of all parents surveyed don’t use browser safe search settings or filters. This could leave children just a few clicks away from accessing inappropriate or harmful content – even if they are not intentionally searching for it. Meanwhile, two thirds (67%) of parents don’t use parental controls on their home broadband.

With the fast pace of change on the internet, the proliferation of apps and the amount of time children are spending online, more than eight in ten parents (84%) now say they feel ‘overwhelmed’ about their children’s online safety, and more than six in ten parents (63%) say they would benefit from simple and practical tips to ensure their children stay safe online.

So, to help parents, we have launched the ‘ABC online safety checklist’. This reinforces the importance of starting with the basics, by providing parents with the building blocks to help mitigate online risks to their children. The checklist covers a series of actions for parents to take, and setting up a specific parental control can take just a few minutes.

The Government has welcomed the ABC online safety checklist as practical way to help parents manage their children’s online activities while safeguarding against harms.

Baroness Jones, Minister for Online Safety, said: “Creating a safer online world is vital for children and the health of our wider society. The Online Safety Act will introduce major obligations to protect children from harmful content online and we are committed to getting these protections in place as quickly as possible.

“It is also important parents are supported to make informed choices about their children’s social media use, and resources like Internet Matters’ online safety checklist will help parents get the online balance right for their families.”

Rachel Huggins, Internet Matters Co-CEO, says: 

“With technology constantly evolving, there’s so much to think about when it comes to online safety that parents and carers are quite simply overwhelmed. We want to help them protect their children online while still enjoying all the benefits the internet has to offer. Thinking about online safety comes on top of all the jobs parents already have, so the ABC checklist gives them a place to start with some actionable tasks that can make a real difference and give them added peace of mind.”