Last updated by Stephanie Rosser on Tuesday, April 22, 2025

During February 2024, the Essex Violence and Vulnerability Unit and Essex Council for Voluntary Youth Services ran a short online survey, asking young people about their experiences of violent content on social media.

75% of young people have seen serious violence online; of those who had seen this serious violence online 26% said it had featured people they knew – either friends, acquaintances, or people from their local area.

When asked what channels young people had seen violent content on, nearly half of young people questioned (49%) mentioned TikTok; followed by Instagram at 40% and Snapchat at 38%.

When asked if they had experienced violent crime themselves, a third of young people said they had witnessed it in real life, which while a concern is much lower than the numbers exposed to violence online.

For parents who want to understand more about online safety, visit the ESCB campaign pages which have resources, advice and guidance about how to keep young people safe online. ESCB - Online Safety