Investigating risks and opportunities for children in a digital world - a rapid review of evidence

Children’s lives are increasingly mediated by digital technologies, yet our knowledge of how this affects
their well-being is far from comprehensive. We know, for example, that the online environment
exposes children to new ideas and more diverse sources of information. The use of digital technologies
can expand their opportunities, reduce inequalities and contribute to the realization of children’s rights.
We also know that when children seek information online and want to learn, they risk being exposed to
inappropriate or potentially harmful content. Yet, when it comes to determining the long-term effects of
internet use and online experiences on children’s well-being, mental health or resilience, the best we
can do is make an educated guess.

This is just one evidence gap among many that need to be filled in order that society can support
children’s positive use of digital technologies, develop children’s skills and protect those who are
vulnerable. Filling these gaps would benefit children. Their education, relationships, entertainment, and
participation in a connected world increasingly depend on digital technologies. Filling these gaps
would also help to guide policy and programme responses and maximize the potential of technological
advancements. Our need for this knowledge has become even more acute as internet use rises during
the global COVID-19 pandemic.

This report identifies, evaluates and synthesizes what has been learned from the most recent research
about children’s experiences and outcomes relating to the internet and digital technologies. It aims to
inform policymakers, educators, child protection specialists, industry and parents on the latest and best
evidence, and it proposes a future research agenda.

The conceptual framework for the report is based on the well-established models of children’s internet
use that underpin research by three international projects: EU Kids Online,1 Global Kids Online2 and
Disrupting Harm.3 We add to this in two ways. First, we pay particular attention to research on children’s
sexual experiences and related risks online. We do this because of the growing concern about the
potential for harm online and because it reflects the priorities of the UNICEF Office of Research —
Innocenti, which funded this research as part of the Disrupting Harm project. Second, we examine
research on children’s privacy in the digital environment, because of its importance to children’s online
opportunities, risks and rights.

The methodology is a rapid evidence review of two of the largest databases of peer-reviewed outputs
in science, technology, medicine, social sciences, and the arts and humanities: Web of Science and
Scopus. We searched for all empirical studies concerned with digital technology and children published
since 2016. We then screened the 2,090 search results for relevance and methodological robustness. The
resulting 359 studies were coded using a version of the Global Kids Online framework. We grouped our
findings under seven research themes: (1) access; (2) activities and opportunities; (3) digital skills; (4)
privacy online; (5) risk of harm online; (6) sexual activities and risks online; and (7) mental health and
well-being.