Nearly half of young people say they would lose a part of who they are without online games, according to new research released for Safer Internet Day 2022.
Revealing the experiences and challenges faced by young people during a time of unprecedented online gameplay, the research findings include:
- 48% of young people say if they couldn’t game online anymore, they would feel like they’ve lost a part of who they are
- Playing games online has helped 61% of young people spend more time with friends virtually than they have done in real life
- 52% of young people who play online games, say it’s taught them to respect others
- 61% of parents (with children aged 8-17) have been alerted to a new person within an online gamethattheir child is unsure about
- Young people report at least one negative emotion in various online game situations. This includes seeing someone being mean or nasty (73%), seeing someone cheat (73%), and falling out with a friend (68%) when playing an online game
- Almost six in 10 young people (59%) want to learn more about how to play online games safely
To mark this year’s Safer Internet Day, research released today by the UK Safer Internet Centre (UKSIC) – a partnership of three leading charities, Childnet, Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), and South West Grid for Learning (SWGfL) – reveals young people’s experience with online games and apps, and exposes the importance of staying safe during online game play.
Safer Internet Day is supported by more than 3,000 partners in the UK, including government ministers, Premier League football clubs, industry bodies, celebrities, charities, schools, and police services.
These supporters join together with young people to inspire and ignite conversations and host events that help to promote safe, responsible, and positive use of digital technology for children and young people.
Find out more about Safer Internet Day 2022 and #PlayYourPart!
