A survey has revealed that a vast majority of girls and young women are facing online harm but can't log off due to "fomo" – fear of missing out.
The latest Girls’ Attitudes Survey conducted by Girlguiding unearthed that 77% of participants aged between seven and 21 encountered online harm within the past year. These incidents ranged from unpleasant comments and exposure to inappropriate images among the younger ones, to bullying and harassment for those aged 11 and up.
Reports of cyberstalking climbed by 6% to affect 17% of girls between 11 and 21, while encounters with unwanted sexual content jumped by 9%, hitting 35% in the same age bracket. Some 38% of girls, starting as young as seven, have also dealt with deceit online - with individuals impersonating someone else - showcasing a rise of 10%.
Furthermore, with AI advancing, there's growing concern over personal safety. More than half (59%) of those aged 11 to 21 are worried about AI being misused to create false images of them or to digitally impersonate them.
Despite the negative experiences, more than half (57%) of 11 to 21-year-olds said they feel reluctant to take a break from social media because of a fear of missing out, commonly known as “fomo”.
This fear increases with age, rising from 55% in 11 to 16 year olds to 60% in those between 17 and 21-years-old. According to Girlguiding, less than half (37%) of girls aged 11-21 feel they have strong connections online, experiencing a drop of 7% over the past four years.
Data from the organisation's latest annual survey – supported by People’s Postcode Lottery players – reveals a rise in negative offline experiences. Some 80% of girls said they know someone with anxiety, marking an increase from 72% three years ago.
Reports of knowing someone who self-harms rose to 68%, up from 65%, and familiarity with eating Disorders increased to 62% from 58%, all compared to three years ago. Many young women, around six in 10 (59%) of those aged 13 to 21, are facing or witnessing sexual harassment.
Furthermore, 85% endure sexism daily, whether through sexist comments offline (53%) or online (73%). This climate of sexism and misogyny is negatively impacting their sense of security, as the percentage of girls who feel less safe has surged over ten years to 47% from 17%.
Angela Salt, Girlguiding’s chief executive, said: "Sexism continues to be pervasive, leaving many girls feeling vulnerable and unsafe. We’re glad to see the Government is taking rising levels of misogyny seriously. Now it’s been acknowledged as a problem, we are determined to make sure the voices of girls are heard as part of the solution."
A total of 2,734 girls and young women, ranging in age from seven to 21, took part in the 2024 Girlguiding Girls’ Attitudes Survey.
