The report focuses on six main topics including: video chatting and live streaming; experiences on apps, sites and games; contact risk – making friends and meeting people online; seeing, sending and receiving content; pornography; online friendships, bullying and mental health.
40,000 pupils took part in this year’s LGfL DigiSafe pupil online-safety survey about their online lives. In comparison to previous surveys, the 2018 results revealed a distinct shift in risks/dangers from strictly contact-based to content-based with:
Sexting and child sexual exploitation via live streaming flagged as a major issue by children and young people
A marked growth in mental health issues, especially self-harm and distress caused by sharing of sexual and violent videos
A greater prevalence of violent or sexual content – whether sending or receiving, volunteered or coerced
Conduct - the third C of the 3Cs of online safety (content, contact and conduct) - remaining as challenging as ever and shaping all aspects of online safety.