Half of urban Indian kids face online harassment, trolling: Survey
What's the story
A recent survey by LocalCircles has revealed that half of all children aged between nine and 17 in urban India have been exposed to inappropriate content or faced online bullying, harassment, or trolling in the last year. The alarming findings come as the nation observes Safer Internet Day and highlights the urgent need for better digital safety measures for kids.
Digital dangers
Disturbing trends in online safety
The survey, which covered over 89,000 urban Indian parents across 302 districts, found that 54% of respondents said their kids had encountered adult or inappropriate content. Meanwhile, 46% reported that their children were bullied or trolled online. The study also found nearly half (46%) of the respondents reported cases of AI-based photo/video morphing or deepfake misuse.
Emotional effects
Online harassment affecting children's mental health
The survey also revealed that these negative online experiences have a significant impact on children's mental health. Half of the parents whose child faced such aggression reported some signs of emotional withdrawal, anger, anxiety, and fear. Over 60% saw increased aggression or irritability in their kids while many noted sleep disturbances, mood swings as well as decreased concentration levels.
Risk platforms
Social media platforms most dangerous for kids
Social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, Discord, and BeReal to be the most dangerous for harassment and exploitation. A whopping 75% of parents surveyed identified these sites as major risk zones. Gaming platforms weren't far behind with 52% citing in-game chats as potential abuse breeding grounds. Messaging apps WhatsApp and Telegram were also flagged by 42% of respondents.
Call for action
Parents demand national helpline
A staggering 82% of parents found reporting harmful content or harassment to platforms/authorities as "difficult, slow, and unclear." Only 8% found the process effective. Frustrated with this lack of accountability, over three-quarters now want the Indian government to impose time-bound responses on social media and gaming platforms for child safety complaints. Many have also called for a single national helpline and stricter penalties against those ignoring child protection issues.
Safety measures
Regulation alone won't ensure online safety
Experts believe that regulation alone won't be enough to ensure online safety for children. They stress the need for digital literacy, parental involvement, and quick response systems to prevent online harm from turning into real-world tragedies.