Our work and impact

Technology is constantly evolving, and we understand how challenging it can be for parents to keep up. To help make this process less overwhelming, we created My Family’s Digital Toolkit. By answering a few simple questions, parents can receive personalised content tailored to their child’s age, online activities, and any potential concerns.

We also provide regular updates to ensure parents stay informed about any changes or tools that could enhance their children’s online safety.

To date, almost 700K parents have visited the My Family Digital Toolkit.

We’ve worked with a range of partners to shine a light on the online experience of children from different backgrounds and those with offline additional needs. Here are some examples of our work and collaborations.

Teenage girls’ experience of harm online

This research builds on the findings of the Digital Wellbeing Index, focusing on the experiences of teenage girls aged 13-16. Through interviews with both girls and their parents, we discovered that while girls do benefit from being online, their experiences are frequently overshadowed by harassment and abuse from boys and men. Alarmingly, this behaviour is becoming increasingly normalised within some families.

Understanding neurodivergent young people’s experiences with online gaming

Supported by Roblox, this research explores the unique perspectives of neurodivergent children and young people, uncovering both the opportunities and challenges they face in online gaming. Using an online survey and focus groups, the study gathered insights from 480 participants. Notably, 56% of responding parents reported having at least one child on the autism spectrum, while 48% had a child with ADHD.

Digital Wellbeing research programme

The Children’s Wellbeing in a Digital World Index tracks year-on-year changes in children’s online experiences using annual survey responses from parents and children. As the digital world rapidly evolves, often outpacing social norms and protections, the Index highlights opportunities to support children and ensure their wellbeing. Its insights help inform decisions for those creating digital products, shaping policies, or guiding and educating children.

Tech and Kids: Making the most of digital futures

Digital technologies are evolving at a rapid pace, from artificial intelligence to the metaverse, constantly introducing new ways to engage online. But what impact do these advancements have on children?

Tech and Kids is a series dedicated to exploring these crucial topics. With insights from experts across diverse industries and backgrounds, we aim to provide practical guidance to help children navigate and thrive in their digital futures.

Exploring children’s and parent’s perspectives on artificial intelligence

This research examines how generative AI is shaping education, with 54% of children who use these tools relying on them for homework or schoolwork. It captures the views of both parents and children, offering practical recommendations for governments, schools, industry, and families to maximise the benefits of AI while addressing potential risks.

Children’s experience of nude deepfakes

The growing accessibility of generative AI tools has made it easier than ever to create realistic sexual deepfakes, with nude deepfakes accounting for approximately 98% of all deepfake content. Alarmingly, 99% of these feature women and girls.

Our report delves into the increasing prevalence of deepfakes in educational settings and provides actionable recommendations for tackling this issue.