Left To Their Own Devices is our new Annual Trends and Usage Report. It provides a detailed overview of data collected in the 2023-24 academic year from over 7,000 children (aged 8-14) across Ireland. It provides a valuable insight into how children spend their time online, levels of access, and children's experiences, both positive and negative.

The report also highlights trends, risks and opportunities, in addition to a call to action for Government to do more to create a safer online world for children and young people.

Who should read this?

Concerned parents and guardians, educators, youth workers, policy makers, media, researchers and anyone who wants to stay up to date with trends in youth use of digital technology, and help kids to thrive in the digital world.

Some key findings:

• 25% of primary school children (aged 8-12) and 21% of secondary school children (aged 12-14) have been bothered or upset by online experiences
• For this 25%, this most commonly occurred on YouTube (37%) and Roblox (23%) for 8-12 year olds. For the 21% of secondary children (aged 12-14), Snapchat (41%) and TikTok (30%) were identified as the most common platforms where these negative experiences occur
• 42% of 8-12 year olds, and 62% of 12-14 year olds do not talk to their parents about their online activity
• 77% of 8-12 year olds say their parents can't see what they are doing online and 83% can use devices in their bedrooms
• YouTube (75%) WhatsApp (41%), Roblox (40%), Snapchat (36%) and TikTok (33%) are the most popular platforms for this age group.
• 38% of 8-12 year olds gamed with strangers online
• Almost 65% were contacted by a stranger during an online game
• 55% of 8-12 year olds did not tell a parent when bothered by harmful content or unsolicited contact, rising to 63% for 12-14 year olds

To read our report in full click on the link below.

Download Report

View Report