For many children, the Internet has improved their lives; it has offered them opportunities for entertainment, work, socialisation and active participation in society. However, it has also exposed them to risks, including, most prominently, privacy constraints, misinformation, identity theft, inappropriate content, online abuse, cyberbullying and grooming. In an age in which children are both the most vulnerable and the pioneers in relation to using the Internet, it is important to understand how the technology contributes to and/or diminishes human flourishing – our ability to live well and thrive both individually and collectively. The task of promoting Internet safety and human flourishing online is an important one that lies in the hands of multiple stakeholders, not just children and their parents but also educators and, when it comes to managing the digital environment, policymakers and Internet corporations.
This report presents and compares key findings from two surveys: a survey with 1,947 13 -to 16-year-olds in England, and a survey with 1,515 parents of 13- to 17-year-olds across the United Kingdom (UK). In doing so, it explores adolescents’ and parents’ views on, and practices at the intersection of, character, virtue and wisdom in the digital age.