Misleading online content leaving South West youngsters "annoyed, attacked and scared"

Half of young people are encountering misleading content online on a daily basis.

To mark Safer Internet Day (9 February), new research from the UK Safer Internet Centre (UKSIC) reveals the new challenges young people face in identifying misleading content; at a time when being online is more important than ever.

The internet has become a fundamental part of young people's education, with over 65% having enjoyed online lessons amidst lockdowns, which caused school closures nationwide.

Whilst 73% feel that being online has helped them through the difficult pandemic - the research also found that over half of young people are encountering more misleading content online than the previous year, with up to 48% encountering it at least once a day, sometimes 2-5 times a day (24%).

The research highlighted how likely young people are to fall for misleading online interactions, with an average of 39% saying they would be likely to fall for things like gaming scams, hidden sponsored ads, filtered / edited imagery and stories from unofficial sources.

The research showed that 62% of young people have had friend requests from people they don't know. This highlights the importance in the decisions young people take towards their own safety, as well as the need for them to be able to manage the risks they are presented with online.

Insight shows that 25% of young people admit to sharing online content from an unverified or untrustworthy source, with over half (56%) seeing people their own age sharing something misleading.

When asked why, 15% of young people either did it 'just for fun' or without being aware of how misleading or 'fake' the content was. 56% also have seen influencers, bloggers, celebrities etc share misleading content (such as fake news) online.

The majority of young people understand that they have a responsibility to be mindful of their actions when they are online. There can be a negative emotional impact that comes with encountering misleading content online, with 63% of young people feeling either annoyed, upset, angry, attacked or scared when it happens.

This Safer Internet Day aims to unite millions of young people, schools and organisations across the UK, to spark conversations around online safety and what to trust online.

"Safer Internet Day provides the perfect opportunity to generate the conversations that need to take place to support children in their online lives. Through all the activities taking place today, across the UK, we can all work to help empower young people, and those that support them, to be better able to harness and use the positive power of the internet for good."

Will Gardner OBE - Director of the UK Safer Internet Centre

"We can see young children getting confused about whether what they're hearing and seeing - particularly around COVID and the pandemic - is actually true, and it can lead to some really heightened sense of anxiety.

"One child that contacted us via Childline said she is constantly reading through articles about coronavirus and the pandemic and she doesn't really know what's real anymore because there's so much information. They kind of feel that they can't get away from it - making them feel a bit scared, whilst feeling a bit powerless about what to do about it."

Emma Motherwell - NSPCC's Local Campaigns Manager for the South West

Here are some tips from the NSPCC this Safer Internet Day:

• Be questionable; ask questions about what you see and whether it could be fake

• Check the source; have a look and see if it is from a source that you trust

• Speak to someone you trust; if young people have shared something with misleading/incorrect content themselves and feel embarrassed about it; or to talk about something that confuses them

• Think twice; in taking part in any challenges you see online. Some can encourage dangerous behaviour

Young people can get help and advice about a wide range of issues through Childline. Contact them today on 0800 1111, or talk to a counsellor online.

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• south west
• NSPCC
• safer internet day
• Young people