NSPCC reveals riskiest social media sites in new guide

Fifty per cent of school children surveyed by the NSPCC admit they’ve seen sexual, violent and other adult material on social media sites, apps and games.¹

And 78% of children reported that they had joined social media sites before reaching the minimum age of 13, as stipulated by many in the terms and conditions.

The findings are revealed in the latest update of the Net Aware guide, produced by the NSPCC in partnership with O2.² Now available for the first time as a free mobile app, it is the UK’s only guide for parents – to 50 of the most popular social media sites, apps, and games, that young people use – designed to help parents talk to their children about socialising safely online.

To inform the guide, NSPCC and O2 asked 1,725 children and young people and over 500 parents on the O2 / NSPCC ‘Parent Advisory Board’ to review and rate the most popular social networking sites and apps.

The top five sites where young people reported seeing inappropriate content wereSickipedia (100% of children surveyed), Chatroulette (92%), Omegle (89%), Ask.fm(88%), and Yik Yak (74%).

Despite repeated calls for improvements in online safety, the Net Aware results have highlighted the scale with which children and young people are being exposed to inappropriate content on social media sites.

The research revealed young people were more likely than parents to report seeing harmful content on three quarters of the sites they looked at. And while young people rated Chatroulette, Omegle and Tumblr as high risk for sexual content, parents rated them as low risk – highlighting the need for parents to find out more about these sites so they can have informed conversations with their children about staying safe online.

The guide’s publication comes after the recent launch of NSPCC Cymru’s 2016 Assembly election manifesto, which calls for more to be done to protect children online in Wales.

An independent advisory group, boosted online safety lessons in schools and Welsh ministerial collaboration with social media providers all form the focus of the manifesto: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/fighting-for-childhood/news-opinion/wales-must-protect-children-online/

Head of NSPCC Cymru / Wales, Des Mannion, said: “This research underlines the harm that young people can face on social networking platforms. The potential risks are significant and we know that parents often struggle to keep track of the sites and the dangers they can pose.

“This guide will help give them the knowledge and confidence to talk to their children about what they are doing and seeing online.

“The internet is an invaluable tool that aids a child’s development – but, as social media has grown, so too have the pitfalls. The next Welsh government can do more to protect our children online. From collaboration with the social media providers themselves, to increased online safety lessons, we hope this research highlights a desperate need to prioritise online safety in Wales.”

Peter Wanless, NSPCC Chief Executive, said: “More than sixty per cent of young people we asked said social media platforms need to do more to keep children safe.  These companies need to take more responsibility and we think there should be minimum standards in place, with a new regulator – if the industry cannot regulate itself.”³

Nina Bibby, Marketing and Consumer Director at O2, said: “As a parent it can be difficult to keep up with the many different websites, apps and games our tech-savvy children know so well. It’s vital that parents actively participate in their children’s digital life to help them stay safe online. At O2 we believe we have an important role to play in giving both parents and children the necessary digital skills to safely make the most of technology. That’s why the latest Net Aware guide and our partnership with the NSPCC is all about giving parents the support, advice and information they need to have the right kind of conversations about the online world.”