Save the Children’s surveyed over 1,000 Finnish 9-15-year-olds about their experiences of online violence they have seen, experienced and committed, with the findings revealing the children as young as nine are encountering inappropriate, scary or distressing content on a regular basis.
HELSINKI, 16 October 2025 – One in five (21%) of children aged 9 – 15 in Finland have been unintentionally exposed to content about suicide and war online, according to a new survey from Save the Children Finland [1].
Save the Children’s surveyed over 1,000 Finnish 9-15-year-olds about their experiences of online violence they have seen, experienced and committed, with the findings revealing the children as young as nine are encountering inappropriate, scary or distressing content on a regular basis.
More than half of the children (54%) surveyed said they have encountered upsetting or frightening content online, with over one third (35%) of the older children (13-15 year olds) saying they were unintentionally exposed to material about suicide online.
Almost a fifth of the 13-15 year olds said they had consciously sought out war content online, and more than one in ten had searched for content about suicide.
The most common forms of online violence against children reported included exclusion from discussion groups, bullying, name-calling and mockery. Children also listed unreliable and harmful people, bullying and other violence, harmful content and other harmful things, such as viruses, drug sales and privacy violations, as factors that threaten their online safety experience.
Some 63% of respondents said they spent at least two hours a day in front of screens, with 13% estimating that they use screens for more than five hours a day.
Lauri Sundberg, team leader for digital well-being at Save the Children in Finland said: “More important than screen time is monitoring the content children consume online. Screen time should not be viewed as an isolated phenomenon, but as part of a broader whole of a child’s well-being and everyday life”
“For children, there is a risk that following war and suicide content distorts their worldview, weakens their faith in the future, and reinforces a negative image of people and the world. That is why it is important for adults to know what children are doing online.”
The children’s responses also showed difference in attitudes to online violence between boys and girls. Boys were many times more likely than girls to agree with statements such as ‘boys shouldn’t be sensitive’ (14% of boys vs. 3% of girls) and ‘it’s okay to share a fight video online’ (10% of boys vs. 3% of girls).
One in ten boys reported having been bullied or mocked online, while the corresponding proportion of girls was more than half that (4%). Girls reported being bullied and mocked online twice as often as boys.
“At its worst, the internet can normalise harmful behaviour patterns and blur the boundaries of empathy and responsibility. It is particularly worrying if a child spends several hours a day online being exposed to harmful content and does not have an adult in their immediate circle with whom they can discuss the thoughts and moral issues raised by it,” said Sundberg.
Children from minority groups reported spending more time in front of screens, encountering more online violence and receiving less support from their parents than other respondents.
Of those children whose families have ongoing financial worries, 80% said they constantly, often or sometimes encountered something scary or unpleasant online. 40% of these children felt that a parent does not help them stay safe online, while only one in ten of the entire group of respondents felt the same.
"Online violence experienced by a child must always be taken seriously and must be addressed. The interest, support and care of parents are of enormous importance. For their part, it is important for professionals to identify different vulnerabilities and strengthen children's ability to act safely online. Technology companies must also bear their responsibility by limiting children's access to harmful content and communities," said Sundberg.
Save the Children's tips for parents:
- Be interested in your child's media use. Dare to ask and discuss difficult phenomena and topics with your child.
- Set an example with your own actions. Critically examine the kind of role model you set when it comes to digital.
- Create digital rules for the family. It is easier for everyone to commit to rules that are created together and that support well-being.
- Recognize and acknowledge the good sides of digital. However, be aware of the risks associated with digital environments and also discuss them with your child.
In Finland and around the world, Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Since our founding more than 100 years ago, we've changed the lives of more than 1 billion children. Around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from all forms of harm, whether online or offline. We do whatever it takes for children—every day and in times of crisis—transforming their lives and the future we share.
NOTES:
[1] In April 2025, Save the Children Finland asked children aged 9–15 about their experiences of online violence. The data was collected using two survey methods, and a total of 1,002 children responded to the survey. Of these, 373 responded to a panel survey in which parents were asked to forward the survey link to their children. 629 children responded to an open online survey, which was distributed nationwide to schools and organizations working with young people, among others.
