New research, published by the British Standards Institution, shows that nearly half of young people aged 16 to 21 would prefer to be young in a world without the internet.
New research showing that half (47%) of young people aged 16 to 21 would prefer to be young in a world without the internet, with 50% also saying a social media curfew would improve their lives, has been published by BSI, the UK’s national standards body. This comes as tech firms in the UK react to new requirements set out by Ofcom to ensure young people are protected from online harm and as politicians consider preventing access to addictive social media apps in the evenings.
The research by BSI reveals how young people’s lives are increasingly lived online since Covid-19, highlighting the need for robust measures to protect their mental health and privacy. Three quarters (74%) believe that they spend more time online as a result of the pandemic, with two-thirds spending more than two hours on social media every day. Yet 68% of respondents said they felt worse about themselves after spending time online
The survey indicates that parents are being left in the dark by their children’s online activities, with 42% admitting to lying to their parents or guardians about what they do online. Over a quarter (27%) say they have pretended to be a different person online and 42% say they have pretended to be a different age. A further 40% admit to having set up a fake or decoy account.