It’s Not the Screens: Understanding Which Teens Are Most at Risk Online
- The White Hatter
- Jul 6
- 6 min read
In today’s conversation about youth mental health and technology, it’s tempting to point the finger at screens. But research is adding important nuance to that narrative, especially when it comes to a youth or teen’s home environment (1) It shows that screen time itself isn’t the root cause of the mental health crisis among teens. The real story is more complex, and much more important for parents and caregivers to understand.
A recent 2025 study found that youth and teems who are most at risk of online harms tend to have something in common: existing vulnerabilities that extend well beyond the digital world. (2) These include:
Youth and teens with physical or learning disabilities
Youth and teens with physical or learning disabilities often face unique challenges when navigating both the offline and online world. These challenges might include difficulties with reading social cues, regulating emotions, or understanding sarcasm and manipulation, all of which are amplified in digital spaces where tone and intent can be hard to read. For example, a youth or teen with autism may not recognize when they’re being subtly mocked in a group chat, or they may take online interactions at face value, making them more susceptible to scams or online grooming. Others with dyslexia might struggle with understanding long or complex messages, leaving them out of online conversations and feeling socially isolated. Without proper digital literacy education tailored to their needs, these youth an teens can be easy targets for bullying or exclusion, especially on platforms where content moves fast and nuance is easily lost.
Youth and teens with pre-existing mental health challenges
Youth and teens with pre-existing mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, or unresolved trauma are also more likely to turn to digital devices as a coping mechanism. Scrolling endlessly through social media, binge-watching YouTube, or gaming late into the night might feel like a way to escape overwhelming thoughts or emotions. While this behaviour can offer short-term relief, it often leads to long-term harm. A youth or teen with depression may find themselves comparing their life to the filtered perfection of influencers on Instagram, deepening their sense of inadequacy. Someone with anxiety might obsess over how many people viewed their story or whether a message has been left on read. Without support, what starts as distraction can quickly turn into dependency, feeding a cycle that worsens their mental health over time.
Youth and teens without strong parental guidance around digital life
Youth and teens without strong parental or caregiver guidance around digital life are often left to figure things out in a space that’s deliberately designed to capture attention, manipulate behaviour, and profit from engagement. It’s not that these youth and teens are “bad” or irresponsible, it’s that they’re navigating a digital world with no map and no compass. When parents or caregivers don’t talk openly with their kids about privacy settings, consent, values, or even how apps work, teens are left to learn through trial and error. For instance, a youth or teen might accept a friend request from someone they don’t know because no one has ever explained how fake profiles work. They may also post something risky without realizing how easily it can be shared, saved, or weaponized. The absence of adult involvement isn’t neutral, it leaves youth and teens more exposed to the darker corners of the internet, whether through misinformation, peer pressure, or manipulation.
And most importantly
Youth and teens from unstable or high-stress home environments
Youth and teens from unstable or high-stress home environments such as those in foster care, young caregiving roles, or homes affected by substance abuse, neglect, or domestic violence, often face emotional pressures that are far beyond their years. In these situations, digital spaces can serve as an escape, a substitute for connection, or even a search for support. But the online world is not always kind to vulnerability. A youth or teen who’s desperate for affirmation might be more willing to trust someone they just met online, share private information, or accept risky dares to gain approval or feel seen. One example is a youth or teen who starts chatting with someone in a gaming server because they feel more heard there than at home, only for that relationship to become exploitative. The emotional stress they’re already carrying can cloud their judgment and leave them more open to online harm.
In each of these cases, the risks aren’t rooted in technology itself, they’re rooted in the life experiences youth and teens carry with them when they log on. Understanding these vulnerabilities is the first step toward creating the kind of emotional, psychological, physical and social support they need to stay safer online.
These risk factors don’t exist in isolation. They often overlap and intensify each other. A youth or teen with a learning disability may also come from a chaotic home. A young person battling depression may lack a trusted adult to talk to about what they’re seeing or doing online. When these layers of vulnerability build up, so do the risks.
This isn’t a call for more screen-time rules or blanket bans on devices. What today’s youth and teens need isn’t less access, they need more support. Their safety online is closely tied to how safe and supported they feel offline. That’s where parents can make the biggest difference.
Start by building strong emotional foundations. Youth and teens who feel heard, seen, and cared for at home are more likely to make better choices online. This doesn’t mean daily lectures about the dangers of the internet. It means checking in regularly, not just about schoolwork or chores, but about their emotional world. Ask them how they’re doing, how their friendships are going, what’s stressing them out, or even what’s making them laugh online. These conversations lay the groundwork for openness and trust. For example, a parent or caregiver who casually asks about a TikTok trend over dinner might later find their teen more willing to share if something online starts to feel uncomfortable.
Trust is essential, but it has to be earned and reinforced. Many youth and teens avoid telling their parents or caregivers about online problems because they fear being blamed, punished, or having their devices taken away. That fear can keep them silent even when they’re in distress. Make it clear that they can come to you with anything, whether it’s an inappropriate message, a friend who’s crossing boundaries, or a mistake they regret. Reacting with calm curiosity instead of anger can be the difference between your teen coming to you or shutting you out. For instance, if your teen or youth tells you someone shared a rumour about them in a group chat, resist the urge to immediately start problem-solving or scolding. First, ask how it made them feel.
Staying involved doesn’t mean hovering, it means staying connected. Even the most tech-savvy youth or teen still needs guidance. Learn about the apps they’re using and how those apps work. Ask them to show you their favourite creators, explain inside jokes, or walk you through a feature like Snap Maps. When a parent or caregiver understands the platforms their teen is using, they’re in a better position to spot red flags and offer advice when needed. If your youth or teen suddenly stops using an app they loved or becomes unusually secretive about their phone, your knowledge of how these platforms work can help guide a supportive conversation rather than a confrontational one.
It’s important to remember that many digital issues don’t start online, they start offline, and often in the home. If your youth or teen is spending hours doomscrolling, lashing out in group chats, or becoming withdrawn on social media, ask what else might be going on. Are they feeling overwhelmed at school? Are they being bullied? Is something happening at home that’s affecting their sense of safety or self-worth? For example, a youth or teen navigating their parent’s divorce may use social media for escape, validation, or connection, but without adult support, this can spiral into risky or self-destructive behaviour.
Helping your youth or teen thrive online starts with strengthening what’s happening offline. Connection, not control, is what protects them.
This is a hard truth, often technology may be the surface, but it’s not the source. If we want to protect our kids online, we have to look beyond the apps and into their emotional world.
The solution doesn’t lie in cutting off screens or age gating, it lies in showing up over and over again with empathy, boundaries, and with love.
When a youth or teen knows they have a parent or caregiver who is paying attention, who cares deeply, and who will guide without judgment, they are far better equipped to face whatever the digital world throws at them.
Digital Food For Thought
The White Hatter
Facts Not Fear, Facts Not Emotions, Enlighten Not Frighten, Know Tech Not No Tech
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