One in four young people in the West Midlands have experienced online harm
More than 1,000 young people from across the area took part in a survey about social media and how it affects them
One in four young people in the West Midlands have experienced online harm, a report from the region’s Youth Commissioners has revealed.
More than 1,000 young people from across the West Midlands took part in a survey about social media and how it affects them day to day.
The Youth Commissioners are recruited by the PCC to give young people a voice when it comes to crime and policing and how it impacts young people.
They carried out a wide-ranging survey of their peers to find out how they use social media and what negatives they may have faced.
It found a quarter of those quizzed had experienced harm online, from cyberbullying to harassment, scams or exposure to inappropriate content.
Both male and female respondents reported cyberbullying and harassment as the most common harm experienced, with the young people also reporting a growing concern with a lack of reporting structure around the issue and a culture, both online and in person, where concerns are dismissed and undervalued.
The report was being presented by Youth Commissioners Ayyatulahi Adigun (from Sandwell), Srilakshmi Sen (from Birmingham) and Maysa Khandoker (from Solihull).
Ayyatulahi said: “We as young people become desensitised to online harm as there is nothing done to actually mitigate it.
"I have personally received nasty direct messages online and never told an adult.
“That is why this campaign is so important. It is about recognising that online harm is a real threat and changing our response.”
Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster said: “I am always deeply concerned about illegal, harmful and malicious content appearing and circulating online, particularly in view of the serious adverse impact it can have on young people.
“There is no doubt, that having read this report from my Youth Commissioners, there is more work that needs to be done, to protect and safeguard young people from online harms and I know the Chief Constable and West Midlands Police, together with our partners, will take their report seriously.
“I commend and thank my Youth Commissioners, for all the hard work they have put into the preparation of the report and their presentation of the Report at Board today.”
The report found the top three social media sites that harm was experienced on were Snapchat, TikTok and Instagram, suggesting platforms with visual-led content can lead to over exposure of harm for young people.