Protecting the vulnerable online

By John Coleman, clinical and developmental psychologist and senior research fellow, Oxford University

The digital world offers untold opportunities, especially for children and young people. It provides endless fascination, an entry into social life, a medium for instant communication and a means of exploring identity. However, it hardly needs stating that there are risks associated with the online world, and for a variety of reasons young people can be more vulnerable to these risks than adults.

One reason for this is the cognitive limitations of children and adolescents – the lack of future time perspective, the difficulties in thinking ahead and, for teenagers, the dominance of reward-seeking behaviour. The role of the peer group is important too, and the need to fit in can sometimes override an awareness of the consequences of risky behaviour.

On the other hand, there are many protective factors that work to keep young people safe in digital spaces. A key element is family relationships, as we know that support and the engagement of parents, carers or other family members provides the best opportunity for keeping young people safe online. Not all families offer such support, but where they do, it is clear that children have the best chance of managing the risks inherent in the digital world.

Vulnerable groups

It is against this backdrop that we can look more closely at young people who are especially vulnerable in relation to the online world – those in care, the youth justice system, with mental health problems, victims of sexual abuse or exploitation, and disengaged from education.

Why should these young people be more vulnerable to online risks? First, there may be fewer protective factors, since disrupted relationships with key adults can lead to the young person having less support within the home. Second, social pressures may be greater, since where support from key adults is lacking, the peer group assumes more influence. Third, emotional regulation, or cognitive development, may be delayed because of damaging or traumatic experiences, leading to a lowered ability to understand risks and to recognise the consequences of online behaviour.

The role of sex cannot also be understated. The digital world allows access to sex in many different ways, through pornography, sexting, or engagement with games that include sexual and/or violent content. For young people to be able to manage the enticements or threats of online sexual content they need an understanding of healthy sexual relationships, an awareness of boundaries and some personal self-control. This poses a challenge to all adults who work or live with vulnerable children and young people.

Privacy and security

Special consideration needs to be given to foster carers. There are particular issues that are raised with children in care that make the digital world problematic. This applies especially to the question of contact with birth families and other important figures who have played a part in the child’s life before a particular placement.

While the online world provides an easy route for children and young people to maintain contact where this is appropriate, it poses major challenges where such contact is either forbidden or discouraged. A general rule should be that where contact is not allowed in the real world, it should not be allowed in the online world.

For children and young people in care, it is essential that privacy settings are maintained at a high level. Awareness of the importance of security is essential where the child may be at risk of being pursued by adults. Age-appropriate blocks and filters need to be in place, while the key worker or carer needs to be able to engage with the child or young person so that online safety is on the agenda at all times.

Tackling cyberbullying

There is one further reason why children and young people in care may be more vulnerable than others, and that is bullying. Any child who is different from others can be a target for bullies, and it is for this reason that those in care may be more at risk than others to the possibility of cyberbullying.

Carers and other adults should take all steps possible to ensure that those in their care know that they have support from the key adults around them if they do become the target for bullying in the online environment.

All these factors may play a part in making children in such circumstances more vulnerable, and less able to remain safe online.

For this reason, it seems especially important for those living or working with children or young people to receive additional information and assistance with regard to media literacy and digital safety.

This is not necessarily easy to do, as the digital world is complex, offering an enormous range of opportunities and many positive experiences. It is also essential for children and young people for school work and for social life.

In addition, it is often the case that children and young people themselves are more confident and technically skilled than the adults around them. Nonetheless, the threats can be very real and it is absolutely essential that adults who live and work with vulnerable young people do have a responsibility to make sure they are informed and knowledgeable.

TOP TIPS FOR ONLINE SAFETY

• Recognise that those who are vulnerable are more at risk in the online world
• Supportive relationships with adults, rather than technical restrictions, is the key protective factor
• Training of children’s professionals in media literacy should be a priority

John Coleman is co-author of a new book (with Suzie Hayman) titled Parents and Digital Technology (Routledge, 2016)