More than one in five kids have already been targeted by an online threat, with risk spiking in the middle school years and peaking at age 13

McAfee today released its latest study on kids’ online safety, uncovering that parents are most worried about their children experiencing cyberbullying and exposure to harmful content – 27% and 25% of parents, respectively, list these among their top three concerns. Those fears are being fueled by a surge of deepfakes and other AI-manipulated content, with 18% ranking deepfakes and similar content as a top-three worry. Other top parental concerns include gaming and impersonation scams – risks that spike in the middle school years as kids gain independence but may not yet have the knowledge or tools to protect themselves. To help families respond, McAfee pairs practical guidance with AI-powered protection to help support kids growing up in the age of AI.

Everyday risks parents can’t ignore

Parents whose child has already been targeted describe a clear pattern of risks — from cyberbullying and inappropriate contact to scams and nudify apps — that illustrate the everyday threats kids encounter online:

• Cyberbullying or harassment (43%). The most common risk families report, hitting girls the hardest. More than half of targeted girls (51%) experienced it compared with 39% of boys, and risk peaks in the early teen years, with 62% of girls and 52% of boys ages 13–15 affected.
• Inappropriate contact (28%). This is one of the most frequently reported online risks, cited by 36% of parents of targeted girls and 26% of boys. Incidents rise steeply in the 13–15 age range, when more than one in three kids are affected.
• Deepfake and nudify misuse (19%). Nearly one in five targeted kids faced this risk, with rates doubling to 38% among girls ages 13–15.
• Blackmail or “sextortion” (25%). Threats to release fake or real content are especially damaging for older teens. More than half of targeted boys ages 16–18 (53%) reported this type of coercion.
• Online gaming scams or manipulation (30%). Especially common among boys, with 43% of targeted boys ages 13–15 reporting this exploitation.

The Confidence Gap

Parents admit it’s increasingly difficult to keep up with their kids’ digital lives. As technology evolves, many feel outpaced and unsure how best to protect them:

• Knowledge gaps. Nearly half of parents (48%) say their child knows more about technology than they do and 42% say it’s hard to keep up with the pace of risks.
• Spotting fakes. Just 34% of parents feel very confident their child knows what’s real vs. fake online, especially when it comes to AI-generated content or misinformation.
• The monitoring gap. Parents see kids most at risk late at night (56%) and after school (41%), yet only a third check devices daily (33%) and 41% weekly. Nearly all (95%) talk about online safety, but just half check in regularly and few set rules — leaving a clear gap between awareness and action.

These gaps widen in the teen years, when the most complex threats emerge. Safety discussions fall from 63% with younger kids to just 54% with teens, and daily device checks plummet to 20% for boys 16–18 and as low as 6–9% for girls 17–18.

The Online Threats Hitting Kids Hardest

Online threats are no longer hypothetical — nearly 1 in 4 (22%) of parents say their child has already been targeted, with the top concerns ranging from bullying to harmful content and fast-emerging risks like deepfakes:

• Cyberbullying or harassment. A leading fear for parents of teens, with 17% of parents of daughters 13–15 ranking it their #1 concern.
• AI‑generated deepfakes (including “nudify” tools). Overall, 18% of parents list this in their top 3; among parents under 35, 1 in 3 (33%) do so.
• Harmful or inappropriate content exposure. About 1 in 6 parents of boys ages 10–12 (16%) ranked this as their top concern.
• Unsafe or inappropriate contact (ranked #4 overall). Concern is strongest among parents of daughters ages 13–15—nearly 1 in 5 (20%) rank it as their top concern.

“Today’s online threats aren’t abstract risks — families are facing them every day,” said Abhishek Karnik, head of threat research for McAfee. “Parents’ top concerns are the toll harmful content, particularly cyberbullying and AI-generated deepfakes, takes on their children’s mental health, self-image, and safety. That’s why it’s critical to pair AI-powered online protection with open, ongoing conversations about what kids encounter online. When children know how to recognize risks and misinformation and feel safe talking about these issues with loved ones, they’re better prepared to navigate the digital world with confidence.”

Real-world fallout

The impact of online risks extends well beyond screens, with families reporting emotional strain, social fallout, and changes in daily life. Parents of tweens (11–13) most often report anxiety or embarrassment, while parents of teens (14–18) more often describe lasting fallout — from damaged friendships and reputations to withdrawal from technology and the need for counseling support.

• Emotional toll. 42% of families say their kids have felt anxious, unsafe, or embarrassed after an online incident, such as being harassed with cruel messages, seeing a fake AI-generated video of themselves circulating, or facing relentless cyberbullying.
• Friendships and school life. 37% say issues spill over into relationships with friends or affect school performance.
• Avoidance. 31% say their child has withdrawn from technology altogether after a negative experience.
• Families often need outside support. 26% reported turning to therapy or counseling to help their child cope with online harms.

Tips for Families

McAfee encourages parents to pair technology with open conversations. Steps include:

• Pair tools with talks: Combine parental controls with regular, judgment-free conversations about harmful content, coercion, or bullying so kids know they can come to you.
• Teach “trust but verify”: Show kids how to pause, check sources, and ask for help when something feels off — especially with AI-altered media.
• Set and revisit a family tech contract: Create clear agreements with kids about screen time, online behavior, and device use — and update them as your child grows. Parents can use McAfee’s Technology Pledge as a guide to start these conversations.
• Keep devices secure: Keep devices up to date and use protection that helps spot and flag suspicious links or manipulated content, like McAfee’s Scam Detector, and encrypt connections on public Wi‑Fi with VPN.
• Review privacy settings together: Using tools like McAfee Social Privacy Manager, so personal info is only visible to the people you want to share it with.

Research Methodology

McAfee commissioned an online survey in August 2025 of ~4,300 parents or guardians of children under 18 across Australia, France, Germany, India, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

About McAfee

McAfee Corp. is a global leader in online protection for consumers. Focused on protecting people in an always-online world, McAfee’s solutions adapt to user needs, empowering individuals and families with secure, intuitive tools. For more information, visit www.mcafee.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250915647893/en/