Norton has published its 2025 Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report: Connected Kids, which reveals how children in the UK are one step ahead of their parents online, dodging controls and accessing age-inappropriate content. Families now face a growing digital divide, where tech-savvy children are often navigating online spaces faster than the adults guiding them.

The Digital Divide at Home

Norton found that while 85% of parents in the UK actively manage screen time, the reality is many children are digitally skilled enough to sidestep the online rules set by their parents.

Over half (53%) of parents say their child found a way to bypass screen time or online rules. Once past those boundaries, children are venturing into potentially risky territory, with 18% of UK parents reporting that they have caught their children accessing online content they thought they had blocked.

Meanwhile, 12% caught their children watching explicit content and 11% reported incidents of their child sharing personal information with a stranger. As children continue to explore more of the online world on their own terms, the gap between what parents are comfortable with their children doing online and what they’re actually doing is wide.

“Kids today are spending more time online than ever before, whether it’s for school, gaming, shopping, or connecting with friends. As parents, we want to make the world a better place for our kids – and that includes the digital world,” said Leyla Bilge, global head of scam research for Norton and mother of two.

“Over 80% of cyber-crime relies on emotional manipulation – and attackers don’t care what age you are. But the digital world doesn’t need to be a scary place. We are here to help empower parents with the knowledge and tools they need to help their children navigate the digital world safely.”

Connected and Vulnerable

Many UK parents are navigating the topic of cyber-bullying with their children.

The majority (91%) of parents in the UK say they feel comfortable discussing the topic with their children and 64% have had repeated conversations about online safety. Still, about one in eight parents (13%) report that their child has already been a victim of cyber-bullying.

Among those cases, more than half (53%) say the perpetrator was a stranger online, while over a third (36%) identified the bully as a classmate or peer. Worryingly, social media is a dominant platform for cyberbullying with 45% of UK parents identifying Facebook as the most common site for it.

Parenting Through the AI Shift

Alongside social challenges like cyberbullying, the rise of AI is reshaping how parents support their children who are online. Many UK parents recognise the upside of AI, with 39% believing AI is beneficial for their children’s learning and creativity. Optimism is particularly strong among younger parents, with 55% of Gen Z and 51% of Millennials respectively seeing the benefits.

Nevertheless, many UK parents remain concerned about their children’s interaction with AI. Over one in three (38%) of UK parents have noticed their child using AI for companionship or emotional support.

Almost half (45%) say they have not seen it happen but would be worried if they did. In addition, 59% of parents have initiated conversations with their children about AI-related risks such as deepfakes and misinformation.

As children engage with these tools independently, it underscores the need for ongoing conversations, guidance and digital education to help families navigate the evolving online landscape together.

Recommended reading

• Report: Cyber Breaches Are Tanking Share Prices
• Inside the Aftermath: What Really Happens When You Get Hacked
• 10% of Staff Are Behind Three-Quarters of Cyber Risk

“As students grow up in a digital world, school systems need to equip them with the skills to become tech-savvy and cyber resilient. By fostering digital literacy, we empower students to not only use technology effectively, but to excel in their academic, personal, and professional lives,” said Catherine Dunlop, senior vice president of Corporate Partnerships at Discovery Education.

5 Tips to Help Keep Kids Safer in a Connected World

The Kids on Devices Report underscores that, as children engage with technology earlier and more frequently, it’s essential for parents to stay proactive, informed and involved. Norton recommends the following steps to help create a safer and more supportive digital experience for kids:

1. Start the Conversation Early
   Don’t wait until there’s a problem – talk to your children about online behaviour, safety, and kindness from the moment they start using devices. Tools like The Smart Talk is a free tool that helps make it easy to guide age-appropriate conversations around digital habits and expectations.
2. Use Parental Control Tools Thoughtfully
   Take advantage of built-in device settings and trusted parental control tools to set screen time limits, block inappropriate content, and monitor online activity. Norton solutions, such as Norton Family with features like School Time, can help parents create healthy digital boundaries while fostering trust and transparency.
3. Teach Kids to Recognise Red Flags
   Help children understand the signs of cyberbullying, scams, AI manipulation, or predatory behaviour, and empower them to speak up if something feels off.
4. Model Healthy Tech Use
   Kids mirror adult behaviour. Set a positive example by putting devices down during family time, managing your own screen use, and showing how to engage responsibly online.
5. Stay Involved, Stay Curious
   Regularly check in with your child about what they’re doing online. Ask questions, explore apps together, and keep learning about new trends – whether it’s AI chatbots or the latest social media platform.