Irish children at 'serious risk' when chatting and gaming with strangers online

51% of children have no parental restrictions around online contact such as chatting and gaming with people they don't know, exposing them to risks of engaging with strangers, according to new research published by Ireland's online safety charity, CyberSafeKids.

Just 39% of 8–12 year olds say their parents can “check, monitor, or control” what they do online, leaving many exposed to inappropriate content or contact from strangers.

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The findings, based on survey responses from more than 3,300 primary school children (aged 8-12) and over 1,700 parents, show that children are highly active online. 93% of this age group go online to game or use apps, often using platforms designed for older users.

To mark Safer Internet Day 2026, CyberSafeKids has launched its fifth ‘Same Rules Apply’ parental awareness campaign. Supported by the HSE and Accenture, the campaign empowers parents with the essential knowledge and tools they need to keep their children safe online.

Despite regulatory requirements introduced in Ireland in July 2025, 69% of 8–12 year-olds have at least one account on a social media platform with a legal age rating of 13+ – with prevalence rising to 79% for 12-year-olds.

21% of the children surveyed have some accounts set as ‘public’, while 17% report having ‘friends’ or followers they do not know offline.

Boys are significantly more likely than girls to have some accounts set to ‘public’ (25% vs. 16%), and one in 10 boys report having no privacy settings enabled at all. These findings suggest that many children don't have a clear understanding of online privacy and risk, increasing the likelihood of them oversharing and interacting with strangers.

The research also found that 31% of children post photos or videos of themselves online, most commonly on TikTok, followed by Snapchat and YouTube. Messaging platform WhatsApp is also a very popular place for sharing images (by posting to status or sending in groups). Girls are more likely to share images and videos than boys (34% vs. 28%).

Children's responses also suggest gaps in parental guidance around online safety and privacy. Only 47% of 8-12 year-olds say they have rules in place at home about having accounts set to ‘private’ or sharing photos and videos of themselves online.

Many parents say they feel ill-equipped and lack confidence when it comes to managing their children’s online activities. Less than half (47%) use parental controls, and nearly a quarter (23%) say they “wouldn’t know where to begin”.

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25% of parents report they are “not at all” familiar and “do not understand” the games and apps their child uses, while just 13% say they are “very” familiar or “have used the apps themselves”.

While most parents said they set rules and limits around screen time and online activity, almost half (49%) admit that “they’re not always enforced”.

Alex Cooney, CEO of CyberSafeKids, said:

“Our research shows many children are navigating complex online spaces largely alone, with little meaningful parental oversight. They are using platforms not designed for their age or safety, often sharing photos and videos without understanding who can see them or how far they can spread.

"Without clear guidance, children may overshare — and with the rise of nudification tools and “AI girlfriend” apps, their content can be altered and misused, putting them at serious risk. Parents cannot manage this alone and urgently need stronger, effective regulation to help keep children safe online.”

Dr. Colman Noctor, Child & Adolescent Psychoanalytical Psychotherapist added:

“Young people are not emotionally, cognitively or socially mature enough to manage unlimited exposure to internet content. They have not developed the skills and attributes for self regulation and so expecting them to be able to do something they are unable to do is setting them up for failure.

"While the exposure to inappropriate content is a real and present concern, we must also be aware that spending excessive time online compromises the development of social interaction skills and emotional resilience. We need to help young people to learn the skills of self regulation by role modelling healthy behaviour and protecting them from the allure of online technology."

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Against a backdrop of rapid and largely unregulated AI development, CyberSafeKids is calling on the Irish Government to take decisive action to better protect children online by implementing five measures:

• An immediate and comprehensive ban on so-called “nudify” and "pornify" apps, and any other AI-based tools capable of generating deep-fake sexual images. There is no legitimate purpose, no social benefit, and no positive outcome associated with this technology: its sole function is exploitation, abuse, and harm.
• The adoption of an innovative approach to digital rights (such as Denmark’s), which extends copyright protection to an individual's body, facial features, and voice as a means of clamping down on the creation, use and dissemination of deepfake content without consent.
• An independently developed risk assessment framework by experts for all online environments that can be accessed by children to determine levels of risk to children and age appropriateness. Trusted 3rd Party Age Verification solutions should be put in place to deter under age access.
• The prioritisation of mandatory online safety and digital media literacy education, embedded across the school curriculum so that children receive consistent, age-appropriate guidance in schools reinforcing conversations happening at home and helping families better navigate online risks and opportunities together.
• Fully-funded, national parental awareness campaigns to better empower caregivers to support children’s online lives.

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Supported by the HSE and Accenture, the Same Rules Apply campaign, which features a short film challenging the false distinction between 'offline' and 'online' worlds is being launched today across social media channels and is accessible here: www.cybersafekids.ie/samerulesapply