ZEEKO DIGITAL TREND REPORT

An in-depth look into how Irish children behave online

Download the latest research report: Children's Online Behaviour in Ireland 2016-18.

Evidence-based education

Research gives us insight into how big of an issue internet safety is among children. It informs our work. We update Zeeko education programmes with the latest research results. The results help us develop best practices in the prevention and dealing with online risks. Zeeko education is based on objective Irish digital trends.

Awareness

Children face online risks every day. A lot of them are trying to overcome the struggles on their own. We encourage children and young people to open up and stand against cyberbullying. We are working hard to engage broader public, the Government, schools and organisations to support young people in making smart decisions online.

THE BIGGEST STUDY OF CHILDREN'S ONLINE BEHAVIOR IN IRELAND TO DATE

A survey of:



MORE THAN
35,000
CHILDREN

An objective picture of what children aged 6-16 are doing online



244 SCHOOLS:
173 PRIMARY
71 SECONDARY

The change in online behaviour as children grow, depending on what kind of school they attend



+18,000 BOYS
+17,000 GIRLS

Gender specific research indicates that boys and girls are using the internet differently

RESEARCH RESULTS

Online Risks

Cyberbullying
Children that witnessed cyberbullying range from 20% in primary school to 45% by the end of secondary school.
Excessive screen-time

Children report spending 5 hours a day online during weekends.

Inappropiate content

30% 6th year students sent sexually suggestive images.

Digital footprint and privacy
The perception of digital footprint as a very serious risk decreases as children grow.

Did you know?

  • Almost 70% of primary school children report to know more than their parents about apps and gaming. 56% declare they know more about social media and the internet in general.

  • Boys play online games 4 times more than their female peers.

  • Children's perception of digital footprint and the need to protect their personal data decrease as they enter secondary school.

THE OFFLINE WORLD INFLUENCE

We were interested to find out how children's offline world impacts their online behaviour. Taking into consideration children's gender and the type of school they attend, we observed differences in their understanding of online risks as well as different levels of exposure to online risks. Find out more: Children's Online Behaviour in Ireland 2016-18 [link]

ZEEKO RESEARCHERS

DR MARINA EVERRI, cyberpsychologist
Visiting fellow at the London School of Economics
Head of Research at Zeeko

"Zeeko overcomes the gap between academic research and professional practice. We develop educational programs based on actual trends. Currently, I am leading an EU-funded research project on the impact of Virtual Reality on children's health. The results will inform the education and technology sector and show them a direction they need to follow if they want to make sure that young users are safe using their products."





KIRSTY PARK
Content developer and Researcher at Zeeko
Lecturer and PhD researcher examining the internet and society
Dublin City University

"Children are growing up online and it is our responsibility to ensure that they can experience the opportunities of the internet while being equipped to face online risks and challenges. Education is an essential part of creating a safer online world and we work with parents, teachers and children to raise awareness and promote digital literacy skills"