Thorn Youth Perspectives 2025

“Youth Perspectives on Online”

Cover title runs 'Youth Perspectives on Online Safety, 2025' across two lines; subtitle 'An annual report of youth attitudes and experiences'.

“In total, 1,003 minors3 from across the United States participated in an 18-minute online survey between November 12 and December 1, 2025.”

“© 2026 Thorn”

Published July 2026 (cover); fieldwork conducted November–December 2025.

“In total, 1,003 minors3 from across the United States participated in an 18-minute online survey between November 12 and December 1, 2025.”

November 12 – December 1, 2025.

“In total, 1,003 minors3 from across the United States participated in an 18-minute online survey between November 12 and December 1, 2025.”

n=346 ages 9–12 and n=657 ages 13–17 (sample table, p.8).

“the term minors is used to describe young people represented in the survey sample (9- to 17-year-olds)”

Ages 9–17; preteens are ages 9–12 and teens ages 13–17.

“nonprobabilistic panel sampling using prerecruited opt-in panel”“Prior to analyses, data were weighted to match U.S. Census benchmarks for age, gender, race, and geography.”

Non-probability opt-in panel with quotas; weighted to U.S. Census benchmarks. Minors were recruited through caregivers.

“Q19B. Please indicate if you have ever experienced any of the following on a platform.…” “Bullied/made uncomfortable online”“…made me feel uncomfortable”“…bullied me”

Q19B asks about being bullied or made uncomfortable online. The combined category is broader than bullying alone.

“Has anyone ever threatened to show a sexual image of you”“Fig 9A | Percentage of minors who have experienced sexual extortion”

QSX1 (Figure 9A): threats to share sexual imagery of the respondent to make them do something. No app-specific sextortion breakdown is given.

“Q14B. How often do you use/check/play each of the following?…” “Fig a-01 | Platform usage rates, by year – ever used”

Q14B reports app use for ages 9–12 on p.44. Usage alone does not establish an age-policy violation where an app permits supervised or child use.

“Q19B. Please indicate if you have ever experienced any of the following on a platform.…” “Online sexual interaction”“…sent me sexual messages”“…asked me to send a nude photo or video”“…asked me to go 'on cam' with a nude or sexually explicit stream”“…shared a nude photo or video of themselves with me”“…shared a nude photo or video of another kid with me”

Q19B asks about five types of online sexual interaction involving peers or adults. The item wording does not require the interaction to have been unwanted.

“Fig a-09 | Potentially harmful online experiences, by platform”

The appendix lists 22 named apps with online sexual-interaction measurement. General app-use questions cover a wider roster. The combined “potentially harmful online experience” measure is not a separate bullying estimate.

“Q20. For each of the following platforms, please indicate if you have ever experienced any of the following…” “Fig a-09 | Potentially harmful online experiences, by platform”

Q20 is asked per platform. The appendix reports a combined potentially harmful online-experience measure that includes sexual interactions and bullying/discomfort; it does not publish a separate per-app bullying measure or a complete per-app item list.

“Q14B. How often do you use/check/play each of the following?…” “Fig a-01 | Platform usage rates, by year – ever used”

Q14B includes app-use measurement for ages 9–12 (p.44); it measures use, not account ownership.

“Q20. For each of the following platforms, please indicate if you have ever experienced any of the following.…” “Fig 8 | Online sexual interactions involving both peers and adults, by platform”

Q20 documents online sexual interactions by platform. Appendix p.53 lists the named apps; the main figure gives both platform-user and all-minor denominators.