UNICEF poll reveals adolescents’ views on online risks

UNICEF has published a new report entitled Perils and Possibilities: Growing up online. The report is based on a global poll of more than 10,000 18-year-olds in 25 countries and addresses the online risks faced by adolescents. According to the poll, almost 80 percent of the respondents believe that ‘children and adolescents are in danger of being sexually abused or taken advantage of online’. According to Cornelius Williams, UNICEF’s Associate Director of Child Protection, ‘the poll findings show just how real the risk of online abuse is for girls and boys.’ To further engage children and adolescents in countering online violence, UNICEF is launching the #ReplyforAll campaign, through which adolescents themselves can advise on the best ways to respond to online risks and raise awareness among their friends.