Keeping your tween/teen safer online: Risks every parent should know
Why keeping your child safer online matters more than ever
Children are growing up in a world where being online and surrounded by digital technology touch almost every aspect of life. From school assignments to chatting with friends, the digital world offers amazing opportunities—but also real challenges. As technology evolves, so do the risks children face online. That’s why now, more than ever, parents should stay engaged and ready to help guide their children through these experiences with confidence and care.
As children are introduced to the wonders of the internet, it is important to understand both the rewards and challenges that come with it. Staying informed and taking the right precautions, can help in creating a safer, positive and more enriching online experience for the children.
Should my Child be allowed online?
This is a question every modern parent wrestles with at one point or another: should my child be allowed online? The mobile phones and the internet are woven into daily life, education, and social connection – and for children as they come to their tween and teen years, being online can feel like a rite of passage. But with that access comes real concerns for parents—from exposure to harmful or inappropriate content to online peer pressure and unsupervised contact with adults online.
As part of the HMD Better Phone Project, we spoke to several experts to discuss keytopics related to the effects of smartphones, social media, and time spent online. In our first session we spoke with Dr Jean Twenge, a Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University. Throughout her research, Dr Twenge has observed significant changes in the behavior of children/tweens, especially since the introduction of smartphones and the dramatic increase of social media use in the early 2010s. This includes increases in a variety of negative impacts to mental health and well-being.
“Social media right now is virtually unregulated and that make’s it really difficult for parents to try to set reasonable limits for their kids.”
The internet and online spaces can play a crucial role in personal growth, socialization, career opportunities and digital development, making it important for young people to navigate it at an appropriate age. But while the online world offers many benefits, it also comes with risks. Children and teens are particularly vulnerable, as their minds are still developing, making them more susceptible to online manipulation and exposure to harmful content they are not equipped to see. Balancing the advantages of digital access with the necessary precautions is essential in ensuring a safer and more positive online experience for young users.
Luisa Fassi, a PHD student at the Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at the University of Cambridge has been studying content that we know to be harmful to children like Anorexia and self-harm content, as well as content that we are beginning to see the negative effects of.
"When it comes to other content that is less clearly negative, we come into more of a grey zone. Here we really need more research and access to data, to better understand how these different types of content might be triggering for some young people, but not for others, and to build tools inside the platforms and outside the platforms, to make this platform safe by design, or to help groups that might be more at risk.”
After our chats with Luisa, we were able to determine 3 steps for parents to follow regarding the content consumption of their children and attempting to keep them safer online:
- Know your children
- Know their network
- Know their devices
Luisa also highlighted:“Digital literacy is very important. If young people are using social media which usually they are, it's important for parents to understand how this platform works, how they're designed, and to start having conversations with young people, when possible, about whether they might be finding something distressing.”
Unsupervised interactions and anonymous adults online
As teens grow more independent, it’s natural for them to want privacy and space online. But unsupervised time can also create opportunities for unwanted contact—particularly with anonymous adults. Many online platforms, even those designed for entertainment or learning, include messaging or comment features that allow strangers to connect with kids. Since some interactions may be harmful, knowing how and where these interactions happen is the first step in helping children stay safe.
We conducted a global study of nearly 25,000 parents and children about children and what they do when they’re online.1 We found some alarming results, especially regarding online strangers and how they interact with children. It was found that 51% of children have been contacted online by strangers and one in three children have been encouraged to take conversations to private chat rooms or messaging apps.1 These findings highlight the urgent need for greater awareness and stronger safeguards to protect children in the digital world.
Exposure to harmful or explicit content
No parent wants to imagine their child coming across violent videos, explicit images, or toxic messages online—but for many tweens, this is an unfortunate reality of digital life. Harmful content isn’t always actively searched for; sometimes it’s served up by algorithms, shared by friends, or hidden in games and comment sections.
As part of our global research we found that 40% of children reported that they have been sent sexual or violent content while online,1 an incredibly alarming statistic. Stronger online protections and open conversations about digital safety are more important than ever.
It is important for parents to think about the risk of their children coming across inappropriate or harmful content and how to talk to them about what they’ve seen when it happens. As kids explore more of the internet on their own, the chances of running into something disturbing or confusing increase. That’s why it’s important to stay involved, keep the conversation open, and create an environment where children feel safe bringing things to their parents.
Cyberbullying and online harassment
Cyber bullying and online harassment are unfortunately not a new concept; however, parents would still want to be able to protect their children as much as possible from this. Online harassment and cyberbullying can often be worse than in-person and real life bullying as “keyboard warriors” often feel they can hide behind the safety of a screen, saying things they would never normally say in person.
According to the global research we conducted with parents and teens, 56% of children have reported being insulted or being made to feel small online.1 This is a real risk that parents should to be aware of, as constant exposure to online harassment can have serious effects on a child's mental health, self-esteem and overall wellbeing. Encouraging open conversations, promoting positive digital behavior and equipping children with the tools to handle cyberbullying can help create a safer and more supportive online environment.
Screen time and digital wellbeing
Being introduced to the online world would make anyone want to go back for more, to discover new things and explore. This type of feeling can feel incredibly compelling, and it is no wonder that children and teens, whose minds are still curious and growing, can easily feel overwhelmed or even addicted. In fact, in our study we found that 52% of children feel addicted to their screens.1
We spoke to several experts and parents as part of our Better Phone Project, and many expressed their concern that their children spend excessive amounts of time on screens, and worried about the opportunity cost of their kids missing real-world / in-person experiences and social interactions. In our fourth Better Phone Project session, we also spoke to Emma Lembke, Co-Founder of LOG OFF Movement who has found her screen time used to overrun her life.
“So I got social media and my first device at the age of 12. I got Instagram and worked my way up through the different apps. I felt as though my mental health was really suffering. I was comparing myself constantly. I was connected 24/7. I was scrolling mindlessly for five to six hours every single day on my device, not really knowing what to do as a young person…and what was worse is I felt completely alone and helpless…and I was sucked into my device just to be there alone experiencing these negative effects.”
Finding a healthy balance is essential to ensure that screen time does not negatively impact a child’s wellbeing or have negative effects on their mental health. By setting boundaries and encouraging offline activities, parents can help their children develop healthier digital habits. For example, one strategy parents can think about to find ways to help contribute to a healthy balance with screen time is Professor Gloria Mark’s approach – ESPRIT – focusing on protecting our attention span and mental wellbeing.
Balancing risks and rewards in your child’s digital life
Raising children in a connected world means constantly weighing the benefits of digital tools against the very real risks they carry. The choice to let your child go online—or get their first smartphone—isn’t just about convenience or fitting in. Like for decisions about what to expose children to in the real world, the access and boundaries you provide are a decision that requires a clear understanding of the online environment they’ll be stepping into.
Navigating this decision takes a lot of awareness, active engagement, and ongoing conversation. There’s no need to fear technology, but it should be introduced thoughtfully and with support. By staying informed and involved, you can help children build the digital resilience they need to thrive.
If you’re interested, you can learn more about the Better Phone project here. You can still sign up, and we’ll have more to share soon about what’s coming later this year. You can also find out more about the HMD Fusion X1 and family focused products here.
1 Based on a study commissioned by HMD and conducted by Perspectus Global of almost 25,000 parents and children in 6 countries: UK, US, Australia, India, UAE & Germany. The survey of 12,393 parents and 12,331 children (aged between 8 – 15) was conducted in January 2025.