Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, highlighted that the report underscores “worrying trends” and the “urgent need for the entire online ecosystem to move faster and together to protect children.” These findings emerge at a time when threats against children are escalating, compounded by rising levels of conflict, displacement, poverty, and violence.
Presenting the report on Tuesday in Geneva to the Human Rights Council, Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid, the UN Special Representative on Violence against Children, stated, “We meet today once again in difficult times, at a time when children pay the heaviest price.”
AI Transforming the Threat Landscape
The report, based on responses from over 30,000 children across all regions, emphasizes the pervasive impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in “fundamentally transforming” the threats children face online. The rapid development and accessibility of generative AI are reshaping cyberbullying, making it faster, more targeted, harder to detect, and capable of spreading across multiple platforms at scale.
In the current climate, where AI-generated deepfake images and videos, along with chatbots and other tools, allow for the manipulation of children, they often over-rely on these technologies, unable to distinguish them from real human interaction. A statement released on Tuesday from Dr. M’jid’s office warned that AI deepfakes are “increasingly used to humiliate, threaten, and exploit children online.”
Fear of Stigma Hinders Reporting
According to the findings, children struggle to report cyberbullying due to stigma and fear, worrying about rejection by peers or judgment from adults. The consequences of not reporting can be immediate and devastating, leading to psychological distress and reputational damage within seconds. In the most tragic instances, it can drive children to suicide.
“Design Digital Futures With Us”
Dr. M’jid stressed the necessity of involving everyone with a stake in the child online protection ecosystem—including governments, industry, educators, families, and children and young people themselves—as the only way to ensure safe digital participation while protecting children from online harms. A child consulted by Dr. M’jid’s team stated, “Digital spaces should not be places where harm is reported but never resolved. They should be places where rapid, safe, humane help arrives. Do not design digital futures for children. Design them with us.”
