Teenagers and youngsters have their own world, but they are also exposed to the risks of the internet. With the support of DNS Belgium, the Apenstaartjaren study examines how young people deal with online safety, cyberbullying and cybercrime.
The Apenstaartjaren study has become a well-known benchmark in Flanders and Brussels. For the past 20 years, Mediaraven and Mediawijs have conducted a large-scale survey every two years among 5,745 Dutch-speaking children (primary school years 1–4), teens (primary school years 5–6) and youngsters in secondary education. This provides unique insights into how younger generations use technology, digital media and the internet.
What concerns young people?
Every age group has its own concerns. One striking difference between teens (primary school) and youngsters (secondary school) is that teens are significantly less worried about online safety. Nineteen per cent fear losing access to an online account because of a hacker. Among youngsters, that rises to 26 per cent.
The possibility of someone publishing embarrassing information about them concerns 16 per cent of teens, compared with 26 per cent of youngsters. The only issue that worries teenagers (16 per cent) slightly more than youngsters (14 per cent) is someone impersonating them online.
I don’t really like the fact that we have to protect ourselves against things like hackers. But I’ve learned a lot at school about staying safe online. It’s actually changed the way I behave online.
Personal devices, personal internet access
This difference can partly be explained by the transition to secondary school, which marks an important turning point. While an average of 51 per cent of children in the final two years of primary school own a smartphone, that figure rises to 95 per cent in secondary education. Youngsters are much more likely to have their own device and unrestricted internet access than teenagers.
This is also reflected in their use of popular online platforms. In the final years of primary school, an average of 46 per cent use WhatsApp. From the first year of secondary school onwards, that figure jumps dramatically to 86 per cent. User numbers for many other platforms also double or even triple from that point.
Less phishing (being noticed)
One notable trend is that the number of youngsters (aged 12 and over) who say they encountered phishing during the past year — not necessarily as victims — has declined. Two years ago, 38 per cent reported coming across phishing attempts; today, that figure stands at 25 per cent.
These figures suggest that young people may be targeted less often than before. However, we have our doubts about that interpretation. The results reflect what young people say they encountered over the past year, but it could also be that scammers are becoming more sophisticated or that phishing attempts are simply less noticeable.
Despite the decline in reported cases, phishing remains the most common type of scam encountered by young people. The rise of AI makes it even easier for scammers to reach large numbers of people at once, while also tailoring messages to specific individuals or groups. As a result, a message may not always be recognised as phishing.
More youngsters are taking steps to protect themselves
But the phishing figures should not suggest that youngsters are unaware of safe and unsafe online behaviour. Just over half check the sender of a message or email, and overall, more young people are taking conscious security measures today than they were two years ago.
As many as 78 per cent now use a strong password, compared with 65 per cent two years ago. In the previous survey, only 16 per cent used two-factor authentication; today that figure has risen to 40 per cent. However, only 24 per cent use a different password for every website.
As more websites and platforms offer or require two-factor authentication, we also see more young people using it. It remains one of the most effective ways to prevent accounts from being taken over by others, and we hope more developers will make it a standard requirement when building apps and platforms.
When it comes to safe online behaviour, no fewer than 72 per cent say they do not share sensitive information such as passwords, photos, personal details or banking information. At the same time, 64 per cent admit that they have shared a password with someone close to them during the past year.
In 44 per cent of cases, that person is a parent or guardian. Twenty-one per cent share passwords with siblings, while 16 per cent trust friends with their passwords. The context here is important: youngsters generally do not see sharing passwords with people close to them as a problem.
My password is top secret. I never tell anyone. If people ask me for it, I give them a fake password.
In terms of technical security, the Apenstaartjaren study shows that 33 per cent say they use a secure internet connection, for example through a VPN , while 36 per cent say they review the privacy settings of their apps. When updates become available, 43 per cent install them straight away.
One in ten has nowhere to turn
Most youngsters who have questions about online safety can turn to their parents (63 per cent). Other trusted adults, close friends and classmates are also important sources of support. Although young people receive lessons about online safety, only one in four feels they can turn to a teacher with questions on the topic.
It is reassuring that most youngsters do have someone they can rely on for help. However, one in ten is left alone with their concerns, unable to find support or answers in their immediate environment.
That is why DNS Belgium actively brings this topic into classrooms through initiatives such as the Edubox (Dutch and French), Cyberkrak (Dutch) and De Schaal van M (Dutch). We also engage with young people in their free time, for example by contributing to the Flemish youth series Red Flag and running the Wasdaslim campaign (Dutch) using clips from the series.
Why does DNS Belgium support this study?
DNS Belgium has been actively involved in the Apenstaartjaren study since 2023. Our contribution goes beyond financial support: we also provide expertise on cybersecurity and digital wellbeing as part of the research group.
In French-speaking Belgium, a similar survey is conducted every four years. The results of the latest edition can be found at Génération 2024.
As the manager of the .be domain name zone, we want to play an active role in understanding and improving online safety for vulnerable groups such as young people.
With this article, we support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.