Snapchat has released the third edition of its Digital Well-Being Index (DWBI) just days before Safer Internet Day, which is observed on 11 February 2025. The report offers insights into the online experiences of Gen Z users across six countries, including India. The findings reveal a strong performance in India for the third consecutive year, but also underscore rising concerns about online risks.
The survey, which gathered responses from over 9,000 participants in India, Australia, France, Germany, the UK, and the US, focused on the digital well-being of Gen Z users aged 13-24, as well as parents of teens. India emerged as the leader in digital well-being, securing the highest score at 67.
This score reflects positive parental engagement and robust support networks, with 78 per cent of Indian Gen Zs seeking assistance for online safety—an increase from 65 per cent in 2023. Parental involvement was also noteworthy, with 70 per cent of parents actively checking in on their teenagers, the highest among all the countries surveyed.
However, despite these positive signs, the report highlights troubling trends related to online safety. India recorded the highest rates of sextortion, a form of online blackmail in which private, often intimate, images or videos are used to extort victims.
A staggering 71 per cent of respondents reported being targeted by sextortion, with 55 per cent of them falling victim. Additionally, 77 per cent of participants reported losing control over shared intimate images, with 80 per cent of these cases involving minors aged 13-17. Grooming was another alarming issue, affecting 60 per cent of respondents, with minors comprising 56 per cent of those impacted.
Uthara Ganesh, Head of Public Policy for India and South Asia at Snap Inc, commented on the findings, stressing the importance of communication between parents and teenagers to ensure online safety. She noted, “This positive evolution in the digital parent-teen dynamic is crucial for navigating an increasingly complex online landscape.”
Snapchat has used these findings to inform its ongoing initiatives aimed at improving digital well-being. The platform’s Family Center, which offers parental oversight tools while respecting teen privacy, has been updated to include better content controls.
Additionally, the Family Center now allows parents to disable My AI, Snapchat’s chatbot, for teenage users, further enhancing their ability to monitor and protect their children’s online interactions.
The report highlights both the progress made in improving digital well-being and the challenges that remain in addressing the increasing online threats faced by young users. While India continues to lead in digital well-being, the rising prevalence of online dangers calls for sustained efforts and greater awareness to safeguard Gen Z’s online safety.
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