Ofcom data shows 1 in 10 children have seen adult content online – how to have the safety talk at any age
Alarming new figures show children as young as eight were seeing content for a much older audience 📱
- A new Ofcom study has found nearly one in 10 children accessed porn online in just one month
- New changes later this month will see websites and apps, include those hosting adult content, carry out robust age checks
- But a safeguarding expert says parents still have a role to play in online safety
- Talking to your child about it will look different, depending on their age
Children as young as eight are being exposed to adult content online – and parents need to be there to provide guidance and be a shoulder to cry on no matter their age.
New research from Ofcom – the UK’s communications watchdog – has found that nearly one in 10 (8%) UK children aged between 8-14 had seen online pornography over the course of a month. This also included about 3% of 8-9-year-olds, the youngest of hundreds of children included in the study.
The figures comes ahead of major safety changes to protect young people from being shown harmful or dangerous content online. Among other measures, from later this month (July 25), all websites and apps that allow adult content will have to carry out ‘highly effective’ age checks on their users – or they could face fines or potentially even be made unavailable in the UK altogether.
Experts generally say this move is a step in the right direction. But safeguarding specialist Mary-Ann Round, who works for online training specialists Virtual College by Netex, says parents still have a role to play in keeping their children safe online.
But with how young people use the internet changing throughout the course of their lives, these conversations won’t look the same at every age. Here are her tips for managing the online safety chat – no matter how old your child is:
How to talk about online safety with your child - by age
When approaching online safety conversations with children, Ms Round said that parents should always consider their age first – as a conversation with a 6-year-old should look very different from one with a teenager.
“The key is meeting children at their level,” she added. “With empathy, age-appropriate language and a non-judgemental tone, to ensure children feel safe coming to you.
Children aged 5-8
“For ages 5-8, it’s about teaching them the basics, such as not talking to strangers online, and telling a trusted adult if anything feels upsetting or strange,” Ms Round said.
“Use simple comparisons they understand to help them understand their online use and why it’s important to stay safe,” she continued. “Reassurance and building trust at this age is key as this will encourage them to talk to you and open up as they get older, without the fear of being in trouble.”
Children aged 9-12
By the time your child reaches these preteen years, they may be starting to socialise online. This unfortunately also means they could be exposed to peer pressure, online bullying or inappropriate content, “making this age a critical time to start talking about handling uncomfortable situations”.
“Try to make it a two-way conversation, ask what they’re seeing online, who they talk to, which sites they visit and which online games they play,” she said. “Check in regularly to stay close to it, checking in on group chats and the tone of online conversations.”
Teens aged 13-16
With older teenagers, Ms Round says it all comes down to trust and respect. “At this age, they want independence and therefore may be reluctant to talk or open up at first.”
“Frame the conversation as an open discussion, rather than blaming or putting restrictions on their online activity, as this could cause the situation to escalate and they might become closed off,” she added. “It’s less about control and more about empowering them to make informed decisions.”
If you’re interested in reading more about keeping your child safe online, check out this piece on how social media can hook young users into harmful thinking – or try this one on signs your child’s screentime is becoming a problem.