The internet has become a 'Wild West' – and young people are calling for action

The assumption has been that young people are simply along for the ride and powerless to affect change.

That assumption is wrong.

This is a wake-up call to brands and regulators – young people expect action to tackle online harms. They are in favour of age restrictions on social media and are even shunning brands and platforms that don’t take online safety seriously enough.

New research from the Online Responsibility Network shows that a staggering eight in ten Gen Zers say they will parent their children differently when it comes to social media.

This is a striking statistic, and it should stop policymakers and tech leaders in their tracks. Because it signals something deeper than concern – it signals disillusionment.

Gen Z has grown up on the frontlines of this “Wild West”. They have experienced the benefits of digital life, yes – but also the harms: the exposure to dangerous content, the pressure of algorithm-driven platforms, the absence of effective safeguards.

Young people are clear about where responsibility lies. Seven in ten (70%) say platforms are not doing enough to keep users safe.

This is not a fringe view. It is the mainstream position of a generation that knows these platforms better than anyone.

Crucially, their lived experience is shaping their attitudes towards regulation – and challenging the idea that stricter rules are simply “moral panic”. In fact, Gen Z is often ahead of policymakers. Seventy per cent support banning social media for under-13s, alongside 58% of Gen Alpha. Many want even tighter restrictions.

What is more, the consequences of these dangers are already affecting Gen Z behaviour, with members self-regulating their usage, and brands are feeling the impact. Over half (52%) of Gen Z say they have reduced or stopped using certain platforms or brands because of concerns around trust and safety. This is a generation voting with its feet – and, increasingly, its wallet.

The UK’s Online Safety Act is a critical step towards bringing order to this landscape. But regulation alone will not work unless businesses get the guidance they need to understand it and take the action to raise online safety standards.

The aim of the Online Responsibility Network is to help brands improve their online safety standards, implement the Online Safety Act, and close that gap, while giving consumers a visible signal of good online responsibility practices.

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Andrea Evans‑Bilham is Senior Director of Online Responsibility Network, a leading expert voice on online harms, working with brands and policymakers to raise digital responsibility standards via their assurance framework.

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