Teen girls’ experiences of harm online

Qualitative research from our Digital Wellbeing Index

Our latest Digital Wellbeing Index report shows that teen girls experience significantly more negative outcomes online than other children.

One such experience is contact from strangers online, which significantly increased from 2022 to 2023.

Explore the findings below along with guidance for parents and carers.

Read the full report

Teen girls use their smartphones together.

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Where the research comes from

In January 2024, we released our 3rd annual report, Children’s Wellbeing in a Digital World. Through this research, we found that both girls and parents tend to normalise girls receiving inappropriate comments, messages and images from males. One parent said this practise is “so standard, it’s not noteworthy.”

The research highlighted how teen girls in particular use the digital space for its many benefits while also receiving unwanted comments and attentions from boys and men.

This follow up research dives further into these experiences to identify what can be done to help girls enjoy time online without facing harassment.

Guide for parents and carers

Key findings

Hateful comments

Girls discuss receiving and seeing hateful comments based on appearance. These comments come exclusively from boys/men than other girls or women.

The pursuit of the 'perfect selfie'

1 in 5 girls say that time online makes them feel worried about their body shape or size. Boys also feel these pressures and the 'ideal male body', often related to intense gym sessions and supplement use.

Inappropriate contact from men and other strangers

Girls we spoke to recalled receiving 'weird' or 'creepy' messages and 'dick pics' on social media and messaging apps.

Content that fosters sadness

When it comes to social media, girls mention seeing content that makes them feel sad, which then suggests more content that makes them feel this way.

Online bullying

Some girls and parents report bullying across a range of platforms. One girl noted how it caused her anxiety and led to changes in her offline behaviour.

Social pressure

Some girls say they feel compelled to stay active on social media even if they don't want to. Pressures include friends wanting them to 'like' or engage with content, or wanting them to post their own content.

Read the full report

Other supporting resources

Digital Wellbeing Index: Year 3

Digital wellbeing research programme

Conversation guide tackling abuse

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