Evidence that more children across Europe are being exposed to risks online and are increasingly distressed by them was revealed by EU Kids Online to mark Safer Internet Day on Tuesday 12 February.

Social networking spread like wildfire across Europe last year, to the delight of many teenagers. In Norway, for example, 93 per cent of 12-17 year olds use social networking sites. And even in countries where the internet arrived more recently, social networking is popular – more than two thirds of high school students in Estonia, for instance.

Despite the many benefits of social networking, there is also evidence of risk to teenagers’ privacy and well-being.

The findings revealed here have been collated from recent research published in the different countries. EU Kids Online, based at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), is collecting and comparing these findings, in preparation for a report to be published in June. Selected advance findings have been released to draw attention to Safer Internet Day, 2008.

The EU Kids Online network finds that many of these young people are giving out their personal information online. (Note that as the survey findings were published by different research teams in different countries, the exact age groups or question phrasing varies from country to country.)

Across 21 countries, the highest figures are reported in three countries:

In the Czech Republic, most online teenagers have given out personal information to a stranger – 91 per cent email address, 79 per cent their picture, 72 per cent phone number
In Ireland, social networking sites have led to many more children disclosing personal info – from 28 per cent 9-16 year olds giving out names or 27 per cent emails in 2006 rising to 79 per cent (of 10-20 year olds), 49 per cent date of birth, 12 per cent mobile number and eight per cent home address last year
In Poland, 64 per cent gave an online contact their phone number, 42 per cent gave their address, 44 per cent gave their photo

There is also growing evidence of risk to teens online:

In the Czech Republic, an online survey found that 65 per cent 12-17 year olds have met online contacts offline – a figure considerably above the 1 in 12 more commonly found in European countries, and pointing to the need for greater safety awareness here
In Ireland, despite high figures for disclosure of personal information, risk figures for a range of risks are generally similar to those for other European countries, although there has been a rise from 19 per cent to 27 per cent of 9-16 year olds who have been asked for personal info from an online stranger. In other words, it seems that safety awareness is greater in Ireland
Poland, however, stands out as a high risk country for teens online across a range of risks, with 56 per cent of teenage girls online being subject to unwanted sexual conversation, and 52 per cent 12-17 year olds being invited to meet an online contact offline – of those, 44 per cent went to meeting and few told an adult

Moreover, the evidence shows that children and young people are not just experiencing online risks but also they are distressed by them:

17 per cent in Belgium (9-12 year olds) felt threatened online
19 per cent in Estonia (6-14 year olds) were disturbed by a stranger online
44 per cent girls/30 per cent boys in Germany (12-19 year olds) had unpleasant experiences in chat rooms
16 per cent in Iceland had received emails/messages which made them worried or frightened

We conclude that:

Advice and guidance to teenagers online is sorely needed, especially in some countries new to the internet or where teenagers’ experiences are ‘ahead’ of their ability to cope
Giving out personal information online does not always result in greater risk, but it may – care is needed in targeting advice depending on cultural and individual circumstances
Social networking sites could do more to advise teenagers regarding their privacy or ensure they understand the implications of disclosing their personal details

Professor Sonia Livingstone, director of EU Kids Online and professor in LSE’s Department of Media and Communications, said:
‘Although children and young people are delighted with the opportunities open to them on the internet – especially for social networking – many of them are giving out personal information without realising who might see it. As a result, our research has found substantial amounts of bullying, harassment and unwanted sexual messages, which is very distressing for some.’

Dr Leslie Haddon, co-director of EU Kids Online at LSE, said: ‘It is important for those involved in awareness raising programmes to be kept updated about the latest research finings in order to target their effort.’

Ends

Contact

Professor Sonia Livingstone 020 7955 7710 s.livingstone@lse.ac.uk

Dr Leslie Haddon 0207 955 6651 l.g.haddon@lse.ac.uk

Notes for Editors

Tuesday 12 February 2008 is Safer Internet Day. This seeks to raise awareness of internet risk and safety issues for children throughout Europe.

EU Kids Online is the first systematic European comparison of research findings from 21 countries on children and young people’s experience of the Internet and online technologies. Now in its second year, the network is funded by the EC Safer Internet Plus Programme.

EU Kids Online is at http://www.eukidsonline.net Countries included are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands and The United Kingdom

EU Kids Online published three new reports in 2007 – one identifying the availability of research findings and the key gaps in the evidence; one comparing Portugal, Poland and the UK for contextual factors accounting for differences in children’s experiences of the internet; one analysing the methodological challenges of researching children in relation to the internet in cross-national perspective. All may be freely downloaded from www.eukidsonline.net

European Commission’s Safer Internet Plus Programme, see http://europa.eu.int/information_society/activities/sip/programme/index_en.htm

Safer Internet Day 2007, and the European Internet Safety portal, are at www.saferinternet.org

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre http://www.ceop.gov.uk/index.asp

Press Cuttings

Irish Independent, Ireland
Children put at risk by use of personal details on net
Professor Sonia Livingstone, director of EU Kids Online, based at LSE, said although children and young people were delighted with the opportunities open to them on the internet, especially for social networking many of them were giving out personal information without realising who might see it.
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/children-put-at-risk-by-use-of-personal-details-on-net-1288394.html

Hollywood Reporter
Internet a risky affair for EU kids
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/international/news
/e3i836142695a60397d656e16e39dabb467

ElectricNews.net, Ireland
Irish teens spilling the beans online
Commenting on the survey, Professor Sonia Livingstone, director of EU Kids Online, LSE, said: ‘Many [children] are giving out personal information without realising who might see it. As a result, our research has found substantial amounts of bullying, harassment and unwanted sexual messages.’
http://www.enn.ie/article/10123888.html

Public Technology
Safer Internet Day: Online risks to children on the increase across Europe, evidence shows
Evidence that more children across Europe are being exposed to risks online and are increasingly distressed by them was revealed today by EU Kids Online to mark Safer Internet Day. The findings revealed here have been collated from recent research published in the different countries. EU Kids Online, based at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), is collecting and comparing these findings, in preparation for a report to be published in June. Today’s evidence includes selected advance findings to draw attention to Safer Internet Day, 2008.
http://www.publictechnology.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=14131

The Inquirer
Half of UK kids have seen Internet porn
More British children who have been on the internet have seen porn there, according to figures released by EU Kids Online, a survey of the London School of Economics.
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/02/11/uk-kids-love-bit-porn

13 February 2008

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