Are young people aware of the extent of fake news, cyber bullying, and scams? The BeeSecure Radar 2025 analysed the latter during the Safer Internet Day which took place on Tuesday. The results have shown that the chances and risks of the internet are rapidly evolving, and that there is still a lot left to do to accurately protect young users.
The report’s statistics are precise: on average, children receive their first phones between the ages of 9 and 11 years. 12- to 16-year-old teens spend more than four hours on their phones on average, whereas older children dedicate over five hours of time to their device.
In the past, bullying stopped when school was over, yet nowadays it continues perpetually, according to the authors of the report. The survey, with a participation rate of over 200 pupils, has proven that victims of bullying feel neglected and isolated because of social media apps like Snapchat, WhatsApp, or Instagram. The instigators of bullying feel safe, hidden by the anonymity of social media. 44% of the 12- and 16-year-olds admitted to having been victims of cyber bullying.
The BeeSecure Helpline aims to help young adults in emergency situations, as the operators offer anonymous help and advice. In 2024, the majority of calls from young people under the age of 25 reported incidents of cyber criminality, sexting, and cyber bullying.
“At the moment, teenagers are most preoccupied by the issue of ‘Sextorsion’, which involves anonymous contacts young people have come in contact with over the internet, for example via Tinder, Snapchat, or Instagram. First, they try to gain their victims’ trust and convince them to send them intimate pictures. As soon as they have reached their goal, the culprits use the photos to blackmail the teens for money”, explains Aline Hartz, executive manager of Kanner- Jugendtelefon (KJT).
Nonetheless, the manager of Bee Secure and the responsible ministry do not believe in harsh measures such as prohibiting social media for children under the age of 16, already practiced in Australia. It is important to educate children and young adults about how to correctly use and behave in the digital world, with the supervision of parents and teaching staff. A prohibition is counterproductive because it motivates the young adults to secretly indulge in social media.
Overall, the pupils react well to BeeSecure’s offer, esteems Aline Hartz: “It’s rather positive that they are continuously sensitised and made aware, even on the helpline, when they call. Children and teenagers often say ‘BeeSecure was in school, I have heard of them before’. Sometimes they say: I knew it, why did I do it anyway, or why did I fall into the trap? Awareness is extremely important.”
When it comes to artificial intelligence, young people agree that it is an opportunity for them rather than a possible danger. However, society as a whole considers AI as dangerous.
