SID 2016, Telefono Azzurro’s warning: adolescents addicted to the internet, parents unaware of the risks

Adolescents who are constantly connected communicate via chat with their parents, who are often unaware of the risks faced by their children online. This is the snapshot of Italian families that emerges from the survey “Time of the Web. Adolescents and Parents Online”, conducted by SOS Il Telefono Azzurro Onlus in collaboration with Doxakids, on the occasion of Safer Internet Day (SID 2016), an international event promoted by the European Union and dedicated to the safety of minors online.

The research, based on responses from 600 children aged 12 to 18 and 600 parents aged 25 to 64, was presented this morning in Milan, during the debate “Business Models Through the Web and the Protection of Children’s and Adolescents’ Rights,” featuring recognized stakeholders from the national and international institutional, academic, and business landscape.

Dependency. 17% of the interviewed adolescents claim they cannot detach from their smartphones and social media, 1 in 4 (25%) is always online, almost 1 in 2 (45%) connects multiple times a day, 1 in 5 (21%) suffers from vamping: waking up during the night to check messages received on their cellphone. Almost 4 in 5 (78%) continuously chat on WhatsApp.

Too Early. One of the alarms raised by the research is the age at which Italian adolescents access the internet. 1 in 2 (48%) claims to have signed up for Facebook before the age of 13, the minimum age permitted, while 71% typically receive a smartphone at around 11 years old. Before the house keys, which come at 12.

Parents. If kids show clear signs of dependency, mothers and fathers are not far behind. Four out of 5 interviewees claim to use social media to communicate daily with their children – 68% on WhatsApp, 18% on other chats – 1 in 4 (22%) suffers from vamping.

“New technologies and the internet today permeate the lives of children and families, influencing not only identity and socialization processes, but also impacting the rituals and gestures of daily life and the content of family conversations,” declares Professor Ernesto Caffo, founder and President of SOS Il Telefono Azzurro Onlus – The internet is changing educational styles and presents a series of risks for the younger generation ranging from pornography to cyberbullying, from the use of provided data for commercial purposes to online grooming.”

Sexuality. Four interviewed adolescents out of 5 (73%) claim to constantly visit pornographic sites and 28% of them fear becoming addicted, while 1 in 10 (11%) knows someone who has engaged in sexting: sending sexually explicit messages or images related to sex.

Cyberbullying. Among the worst experiences faced by adolescents online is being mocked by friends or acquaintances. More than 1 in 10 (12%) report having been victims of cyberbullying, 32% are afraid of being bullied, while 30% fear the opposite: posting something that offends someone without realizing it.

Online purchases. Another surprising finding of the research concerns the use of money that adolescents make online. 1 interviewee out of 10 confesses to having made a purchase without realizing it, but what stands out is that more than 2 out of 3 (38%) regularly buy using their parents’ cards (63%) or their own (22%).

A series of alarms raised by Italian adolescents, for which their parents are often unable to provide answers alone: nearly 3 interviewees out of 4 (71%) state they have never heard of sexting, and 1 in 10 (12%) do not know what cyberbullying is.

For this reason, SOS Il Telefono Azzurro Onlus has adopted the slogan of Safer Internet Day 2016: “Play your part for a better internet,” asking every stakeholder in the field to do their part to make the internet a safer place for kids.

For businesses, particularly those in the technology sector, the Milano Charter has been formulated, requesting contributions to research and the identification of the right balance between freedom of enterprise and the rights of all citizens, primarily minors.

A campaign named Become a Digital Supporter #TAdigitalsupporter has been launched for all users, aimed at creating a network of digital volunteers ready to disseminate information and materials on the theme of safe internet use through social media and to report potential dangers on the website doitbetter.azzurro.it.