The Internet Matters Children’s Wellbeing in a Digital World: Year Five Index Report 2026 provides important new insight into how children are experiencing the online world today. Drawing on responses from over 1,000 families across the UK, the report explores how digital life is shaping children’s physical, emotional, social and developmental wellbeing. In this blog, the Anti-Bullying Alliance highlights what the report tells us specifically about bullying, belonging and children’s wellbeing online. While digital spaces continue to offer opportunities for connection, creativity and friendship, the findings also show that many children are still experiencing online harm, including abusive messages and bullying behaviours, and that time spent online is closely linked to both social connection and loneliness. These insights help us better understand the challenges children face today and reinforce why preventing bullying and supporting a strong sense of belonging remains essential both online and offline.
Read the full report from Internet Matters here
One of the clearest findings in this year’s report is that children’s experiences of online harm remain stubbornly high.
Nearly seven in ten children (68%) report experiencing at least one type of harm online, unchanged from the previous year. This includes:
Despite new regulatory duties on technology companies, the overall level of harm children experience online has not reduced. This reinforces concerns that more action is still needed to protect children in digital spaces.
Importantly, vulnerable children experience higher rates of harm, with 79% reporting at least one harmful experience, compared with 63% of their peers.
The report also highlights a strong relationship between time spent online and exposure to harm.
Among children who spend the most time online:
Across all areas of wellbeing, the report finds children’s experiences online are becoming more extreme.
Positive experiences such as friendship, inspiration and discovery are increasing. However, negative experiences are also rising at the same time.
This growing “internet of extremes” means children are benefiting from digital opportunities while simultaneously facing greater risks.
Despite concerns about harm, the report shows that digital environments continue to play an important role in helping children feel connected.
Children report that being online is important for:
Parents also recognise this role in belonging and participation. Two thirds (67%) say being online has helped their child feel part of a group they otherwise would not have been able to access.
These findings underline how digital spaces can support social inclusion, particularly for children who may struggle to connect offline.
The report highlights a key tension in children’s experiences of belonging online.
Children who spend the most time online are:
This contradiction reflects the complex role digital spaces play in children’s social lives. Online environments can strengthen connection, but they can also amplify isolation if they replace face to face interaction.
A major wellbeing concern identified in the report is children’s difficulty regulating their time online.
For example:
Nearly a third of children (29%) also report that spending a lot of time online negatively affects their physical health.
These findings suggest that digital habits are beginning to affect children’s emotional, social and physical wellbeing.
Older children are more likely to encounter harmful content online.
Among children aged 13 to 16:
At the same time, younger children may be more likely to act on harmful content they see, highlighting the importance of early media literacy and preventative education.
While boys and girls experience similar overall levels of harm, the report finds differences in how content affects them.
Girls are more likely than boys to find upsetting:
This reflects wider evidence that some forms of online harm intersect with gendered expectations, body image pressures and discriminatory experiences.
Encouragingly, the report identifies reductions in some types of harmful content exposure.
Fewer children reported seeing:
These changes align with areas targeted by the Online Safety Act and may reflect early impacts of regulation. However, overall harm levels remain high.
The report highlights the protective role of trusted relationships.
Children who are open with parents about their online lives are:
Encouraging open conversations remains one of the most effective ways to support children’s safety and wellbeing online.
Taken together, the findings reinforce several priorities for preventing bullying and supporting belonging:
As children’s digital lives continue to expand, creating safer online environments and supporting positive peer relationships both online and offline remains essential to improving children’s wellbeing.
