The Cox Mobile survey, Connecting the Digital Dots: Online Habits and Safety Concerns Across Three Generations, uncovers that US teens have faced a range of online security issues over the past year. Those threats include exposure to inappropriate content, privacy violations, cybersecurity threats, online predators and cyberbullying.

While more than one-quarter of teens report feeling stressed, anxious, or isolated due to constant connectivity, many still recognise the value their digital devices bring to daily life.

US teens cited several positive outcomes of being connected, including:

• Staying in touch with friends and family
• Making life more convenient
• Completing schoolwork and learning from home
• Enjoying entertainment like shows, gaming, and music
• Discovering new information or skills
• Sharing updates and building a social network

This balance of benefits and drawbacks highlights the need for guidance, boundaries, and education to help teens navigate the digital world in healthier ways.

“Staying connected shouldn’t come at the cost of our teens’ mental health or safety,” said Colleen Langner, Chief Residential Officer of Cox Communications. “The findings from our Cox Mobile survey are both eye-opening and encouraging. While teens face challenges like online bullying, privacy concerns and social media stress, they’re also actively seeking support and open to learning how to navigate the digital world safely. That’s a signal of hope and a call to action.”

Safety Starts with Trust

When presented with an online safety issue, most teen respondents will ask for help from a parent or other trusted adult. What’s more, 71 per cent reported they would be open to learning more about online safety best practices in a workshop, session, or classroom-type environment.

Encouragingly, most parent respondents said they already have regular, even daily, conversations about online safety with their teens. Their guidance often includes tips like creating strong, unique passwords, enabling multifactor authentication, and removing unsafe apps or channels.

AI is the New Norm

The survey also revealed that 91 per cent of teens use generative AI. They often use it for personal questions, so knowing how to spot false or misleading information is key to a safer experience.

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Categories: Articles, Consumer Behaviour, Mobile, Research, Social Media

Tags: AI, cox, mobile, social media