Wales Study: Kids Do not Share Online Lives with Family
A study in Wales found that only 28% of school children share their online lives with their parents. Young people reported experiencing “rude and aggressive” behavior on digital platforms. The study, conducted by the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Rocio Cifuentes, involved children aged between 7 and 18.
The children said that conversations on gaming platforms can easily escalate into threats and that the situation can deteriorate quickly if parents are not constantly monitoring. “I think most games and things like that start as a joke, but it can easily turn into threats,” said 16-year-old Ffion. Grace, 13, said her mother monitors some of her accounts and checks to see if “anything weird is going on.”
Media regulator OFCOM (Office of Communications) aims to finalize a code of practice by next spring to protect children from harmful content. Of the 1284 young people surveyed, 76% said they felt happy and safe online, while only 32% felt their concerns were taken seriously.
Teachers are concerned about the impact of screen time on children’s education. Some teachers report that students are tired due to late-night gaming. Safety concerns were highlighted about Snapchat, YouTube, and the gaming platform Roblox. Some young people reported feeling unsafe online because they can talk to people they don’t know.
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