The Education, Skills and Employment Portfolio has today published the findings of the island’s first comprehensive survey into young people’s internet and social media use, drawing on responses from 225 pupils between the ages of 8–18 across primary and secondary schools.
The first publication focuses specifically on children aged 8–11, providing insight into how they use technology, social media and the internet, while highlighting the importance of helping children develop positive and safe digital habits.
Further findings will be published over the coming weeks, with the second publication focusing on young people aged 11–18, followed by a final publication bringing together the findings from across the full 8–18 age range.
The use of technology and the internet is now a routine part of childhood, providing opportunities for learning, creativity, entertainment, communication and staying connected with friends and family.
In response to the growing role of the digital world in the lives of children and young people on St Helena, the multi-agency Digital Literacy and Boundaries Group has spent the past six months working to better understand how children and young people use the internet and social media.
The Digital Literacy and Boundaries Group brings together representatives from education, safeguarding, health, policing, Youth Parliament and other community partners. Its aim is to better understand children’s digital lives, consider the evidence, and identify both the opportunities and challenges they encounter online. This work will help ensure that children, young people and families have the knowledge, confidence and support they need to use technology positively and safely.
The survey found that 95% of children have access to the internet at home, while almost three quarters already use a smartphone to access the internet. YouTube is by far the most popular online platform, followed by TikTok, Snapchat and WhatsApp.
The survey also provides an important opportunity to understand some of the experiences children are having online. Around one in three children said they had either been contacted by someone they did not know online or were unsure whether someone approaching them was a stranger. A further 9% reported experiencing cyberbullying.
While these findings are significant, they should be considered alongside the positive aspects of children’s online experiences. They also provide valuable information about where children may benefit from further guidance and support as they become increasingly confident users of technology.
Encouragingly, seven in ten children said they would speak to a parent if something online worried them. This suggests that many children already see their parents and carers as s trusted source of support. Keeping these conversations open can help children feel confident to ask questions, seek support and talk through experiences they may encounter online.
Cybersecurity Awareness and Training Officer and member of theDigital Literacy and Boundaries Group, Gareth Drabble, commented:
“Social media use and online gaming in and of themselves are not the enemy, but they must be used in a way that ensures our children’s safety and is in balance with the rest of their lives. Digital safety is no longer just a school issue or a home issue; it is a community responsibility and one that we all have a part to play in.”
Next Steps and Community Action
These findings provide valuable insight into the online experiences of children on the island. They also reinforce the importance of helping children develop the skills and confidence to navigate the online world safely and responsibly. The focus is not on removing children from the digital world, but on supporting them to become confident, responsible and informed users of it.
Over the coming academic year, the Digital Literacy and Boundaries Group will deliver practical workshops for parents focusing on privacy settings, gaming safety, and parental controls. These will run alongside school assemblies, Youth Parliament debates, and community events.
Parents seeking immediate advice can access free resources via Internet Matters, NSPCC Online Safety, Childnet, and the UK Safer Internet Centre.
Children can often adapt quickly to new technology. However, digital confidence is not the same as digital understanding. By continuing to learn alongside children, asking questions, setting age-appropriate boundaries and keeping conversations open, parents and carers can help children make positive and informed choices online.
Digital safety is not about reducing the opportunities that technology provides. It is about working together to ensure children are equipped to benefit from those opportunities confidently, positively and safely.
To view the results of the survey, please click the link at https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/app/uploads/2026/08/Children-Young-Peoples-Social-Media-Use-Findings-Primary-Schools.pdf
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