72% of children globally have been victims of cyber threats

A new global report from The Global Cybersecurity Forum (GCF), has found that 72% of children around the world have experienced at least one type of cyber threat online.

The ‘Why Children Are Unsafe in Cyberspace’ report, created in collaboration with Boston Consulting Group, focuses on raising awareness about the critical issues confronting child safety in cyberspace at a time when more than 90% of children aged eight and up are online.

The report surveyed over 40,000 parents and children in 24 countries across six regions, with the results overwhelmingly indicating that cyberspace protection for today’s youth falls short, affecting children globally and necessitating urgent collective action.

The most common threats reported by those polled were unwanted advertisements, inappropriate images and content, and bullying and harassment. Children are most active digitally at home or at school globally, but the report found that only half of children feel safe online, with one in every five children reporting bullying or harassment. Latin America and the Middle East had the highest number of threats reported by children among the regions surveyed.

83% of children said they would notify their parents if they felt threatened online, but only 39% of parents said their child or children had ever expressed concerns to them. This begs the question of how children can be safeguarded when their parents aren’t always aware of the dangers they face.

The report urges all stakeholders, including parents, educators, technology companies, and law enforcement agencies, to work together to find robust solutions to the online threat to children.

Ms. Alaa AlFaadhel, Initiatives & Partnerships Lead at the GCF commented on the report: “With 72% of children facing cyber threats, we believe the protection of children is crucial in a rapidly developing Cyberspace. The solution to the pervasive threats that children face is to raise awareness of the issues and ensure united action, from educators to the private sector, can be put in motion. We all bare a responsibility to create a safe place to learn and connect in Cyberspace as it becomes more entrenched in everything we do.”

David Panhans, a BCG Managing Director and Partner commented on the report: “With almost all 12-year-olds now online and virtual learning on the rise during the COVID-19 pandemic, keeping children safe in Cyberspace is an urgent problem that requires an immediate solution. Everyone involved in the online and child protection ecosystem has a role to play, from international organizations, regulators and law enforcement agencies, parents, caregivers, and education providers to technology companies in the private sector.”

The upcoming GCF will bring together key decision-makers and executives from around the world to discuss the pressing issue of child protection in cyberspace, as well as other important topics such as the disruption frontier and geopolitical considerations.

The GCF 2022 Edition returns to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on November 9-10, with the theme ‘Rethinking the Global Cyber Order.’