Young adults and negative online experiences

We live in the age of the internet, with our lives connected to the internet in various ways. Our students are using technology with many positive outcomes, however there does exist a downside where experiences are not favourable to the wellbeing of young adults.

Due to the digital impact of COVID-19 in 2020, the office of the e-Safety Commissioner conducted a survey of teenagers aged 12-17. The full findings can be located at https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/research/digital-lives-aussie-teens, however it is interesting that 44% of teens had experienced a negative online situation in the six months leading up to September 2020. The three top negative experiences included being contacted by a stranger or someone they didn’t know (30%), receiving inappropriate or unwanted content (20%) and being deliberately excluded from social groups and events (16%). On the positive side more than 80% of teens instigated some form of action following these negative experiences leading to more positive wellbeing and engaged in positive online behaviour afterward.