Many children in Wales don't tell their families about their online lives, warns report
The survey aimed to inform The Children's Commissioner for Wales' response to Ofcom’s consultation on the Online Safety Act (2023)
Last updated 26th Jul 2024
Only 28% of children surveyed on online safety said they frequently discuss their online activities with their family.
The survey, conducted by the Children’s Commissioner for Wales in June 2024, aimed to inform her response to Ofcom’s consultation on the Online Safety Act (2023).
It included responses from 1,284 children and young people, aged 7 to 18, from 16 local authorities.
Among the apps that made children feel unsafe or unhappy, 29% mentioned Roblox, followed by YouTube (17%) and Snapchat (12%).
Children as young as 8 expressed concerns about Roblox, citing 'toxic and rude' users, 'aggressive behavior', the ability to chat with strangers, being 'scammed', and experiences of racial discrimination.
Of those who reported issues directly to online platforms, only 32% felt their concerns were taken seriously.
Publishing the results ahead of the school summer holidays, the Children’s Commissioner for Wales has urged parents to thoroughly review information on parental controls, app content, and age requirements.
Senior Policy and Public Affairs Officer at NSPCC Cymru , Ruth Mullineux said: “The first-hand experiences and perspectives of young people captured in this survey and through initiatives like the NSPCC’s newly launched Voice of Online Youth show that tech companies have neglected children’s safety and wellbeing in the design of their services for too long.
“Children must no longer be left to keep themselves safe from online harms. At the NSPCC we continue to call for ambitious implementation of the Online Safety Act by Ofcom to ensure tech companies introduce robust measures which prioritise children’s safety.
“In Wales, retaining a commitment and focus on children’s safety online through well resourced, effective, and targeted actions in a dedicated action plan, including the commitment to ensure young people have their say on the approach, is vital.
“Policy makers and regulators need to be considering young people’s views to understand the realities of the issues they face online and deliver effective responses.”