Jess John, safeguarding lead at local charity Young Gloucestershire, said the young people they support often report the impact of online harms on their wellbeing.
“Young people report that it is not necessarily one abusive comment that causes emotional and psychological impact but rather frequent and sustained hostile criticism,” she said.
As well as low self-esteem, confidence and healthy relationships, John said online safety is one of the themes their youth workers focus on, including how to block and report people.
Paul Noblet, head of external affairs and research at mental health charity YoungMinds, said it had consistently called for action to tackle “the harms young people can experience in the online world, including exposure to harmful content, online abuse and features designed to keep them engaged”.
“We’re increasingly hearing about the impact these can have on young people’s mental health,” he said.
