Skip to content
CO:RE

Key topic: Online risks

The key topic online risks to children addresses the following:

  • Why pay attention to online risks?

  • What are online risks?

  • What do we know about online risks for kids?

  • What can schools do to help children be better prepared to cope with online risks?

Select one of the sub-sections of this key topic in the drop-down or scroll through them below.

To understand the digital lives of children, it is necessary to understand both the risks and the opportunities that online environments offer [1]. Here, however, we focus on the risks that children and young people can encounter online. This resource is based on the CO:RE short report The 4Cs: Classifying online risks to children by Livingstone & Stoilova.

Why pay attention to online risks?

Many children and young people spend several hours a day online interacting with each other via social media channels [2]. They look for information, create and share all types of online content or play video games. The opportunities to engage with digital technologies are, thus, endless. But as technologies advance, new online risks also emerge, which may impact children’s wellbeing [3]. Because children can be exposed to new forms of risks without adults even being aware of these risks, it is important to understand what online risks are so that preventive measures can be taken and possible ways of coping with risks can be taught. If online risks are timely anticipated, and children build the necessary resilience to tackle them successfully, more attention can be given to maximizing online opportunities and positive outcomes of children and young people’s digital engagement.

Helpful resources

References

[1] image/svg+xml art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos Open Access logo, converted into svg, designed by PLoS. This version with transparent background. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Open_Access_logo_PLoS_white.svg art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos http://www.plos.org/ Livingstone, S. & Stoilova, M. (2021). The 4Cs: Classifying Online Risk to Children. (CO:RE Short Report Series on Key Topics). Hamburg: Leibniz-Institut für Medienforschung | Hans-Bredow-Institut (HBI); CO:RE - Children Online: Research and Evidence. https://doi.org/10.21241/ssoar.71817.

[2] Agosto, D. E., & Abbas, J. (2016). Simple Tips for Helping Students Become Safer, Smarter Social Media Users. Knowledge Quest, 44(4), 42-47.

[3] image/svg+xml art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos Open Access logo, converted into svg, designed by PLoS. This version with transparent background. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Open_Access_logo_PLoS_white.svg art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos http://www.plos.org/ Stoilova, M. & Livingstone, S. (2020, May 18). https://www.itu.int/hub/2020/05/childrens-online-safety-what-is-the-best-approach-key-findings-from-recent-research/

Cookie preferences

We use cookies on our website. Some of them are essential, while others help us to improve this website and your experience.