Many Swiss schoolchildren exposed to online hazards
Swiss schoolchildren are exposed to worryingly high levels of cyber-bullying, internet grooming, privacy violations, pornography and other dangerous online content, a survey conducted by the federal authorities has warned.
As a result, half of the youngsters surveyed said they did not feel safe online. A third also admitted to excessive internet usage, with a quarter saying they have unsuccessfully tried to cut down on time spent online.
The dangers of the internet rose with age. Some 10% of 10-year-olds said they had been the victims of discrimination on the internet, while one in 20 reported cyber-bullying. Half of children aged 14 had seen pornography.
All of the children in the 15 to 16-year-old age category reported that they had been exposed to risks from strangers on the internet at least once in their lives. Two out of five said they had been asked for sexual information, perhaps related to grooming by online predators.
Half of the respondents in this older age group also said they had suffered violations of their privacy, for example personal information being put online without their permission.
The findings were presented by the “Expert Forum on the Protection of Minors in the Media”, a national platform set up by the government to promote media skills among minors.
The “EU Kids Online Switzerland 2019External link” survey interviewed 1,026 pupils aged between nine and 16 and teachers at 67 school classes in German and French-speaking Switzerland. Due to a change in survey methodology, results are not directly comparable with previous findings from 2013.
More
More
Third of young Swiss targeted by cyber-grooming
This content was published on
A third of young people in Switzerland have been approached online by an older stranger with undesirable sexual intentions, a survey has found.
First large-scale alpine solar plant approved in Switzerland
This content was published on
The approval was met with satisfaction by the project's organisers, but it also brings with it a certain amount of pressure.
Medieval squirrels may have ‘helped spread leprosy’
This content was published on
An examination of squirrel remains in the United Kingdom has opened up interesting questions and possibilities in terms of the history of the disease.
Swiss money laundering office registers record number of reports
This content was published on
The Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS) registered a record number of reports of suspicious activity last year.
Two teens accused of planning terror attack released from custody
This content was published on
The Schaffhausen judiciary has released the two teenagers from custody who allegedly planned bomb attacks in Switzerland.
OECD: Sluggish economic activity slowing growth in Switzerland
This content was published on
Sluggish economic activity at the start of the year is weighing on growth in Switzerland, with GDP expected to fall to 1.1% in 2024.
Report finds mistakes which led to Swiss government data breach
This content was published on
Mistakes were made by both the government and internet company Xplain in the case of a criminal cyber-attack on the Bern-based IT business.
Swiss government wants better gender balance in federal administration
This content was published on
New Swiss government personnel management targets say there must be even more female managers in the federal administration.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Third of young Swiss targeted by cyber-grooming
This content was published on
A third of young people in Switzerland have been approached online by an older stranger with undesirable sexual intentions, a survey has found.
This content was published on
One in ten people in Switzerland suffers from some form of behavioural addiction: they cannot live without the internet, gambling, sex or shopping.
Online child pornography in Switzerland on the increase
This content was published on
Campaigners against child abuse has expressed concern about a continuing increase of suspected cases of child pornography in Switzerland.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.