It's no secret that the internet has had a profound effect on young people's live. But while some of the impact is beneficial—like connection to friends and educational resources—the internet can also leave children vulnerable to bullying, threats and inappropriate content.
However, when it comes to online safety, it appears that some states might be better than others.
In a new study by online security information hub Cloudwards, states were ranked from best to worst for children's online safety. Data was split into four categories: online safety threats, such as crimes against children, harassment, and threats of violence; cyberbullying prevalence; the presence of online safety legislation, including sexting laws, addressing cyberbullying, and school policies; and mental health support.
Cloudwards collected the data from several reputable sources, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Cyberbullying Research Center.
So, which states were the most dangerous for kids' online safety when assessed using these metrics?
- Oregon
- California
- New Hampshire
- Alaska
- Ohio
"Our research revealed that while Oregon ticks a lot of boxes when it comes to cyberbullying and online safety legislation, cyberbullying laws do not cover off-school campus incidents," Cloudwards said in a statement. "The state also received a score of zero for sexting laws and has not implemented the 2023 Social Media & Children legislation."
The state also showed one of the highest percentages of children who had been cyberbullied, with 65.2 percent of children fitting into this category.
West Coast states performed particularly badly, with California ranking 50th out of 51 (including the District of Columbia) for online safety, despite its renowned technology industry. North Carolina and Texas—which are also known for their tech industries—were also ranked as fairly risky states for children online.
At the other end of the spectrum, the following states ranked in the top five for online safety:
- Utah
- Hawaii
- New Jersey
- North Dakota
- Connecticut
"Utah made history in 2023 by becoming the first state to pass a social media act ruling that age verification on social media become a requirement, in addition to the restriction of certain features like direct messaging," Cloudwards said. However, they added that "the state has since repealed and amended the original act in response to a constitutionality challenge by NetChoice."
You can see where your state ranked in the map below:
It is important to remember that the scores were simply weighted averages, and no states were perfect when it came to children's online safety across the board.
To stay safe online, Cloudwards recommends the following:
- Be careful about the information you share—never post details of your address, school, work place, telephone number or date of birth.
- Don't open links you receive via email or private messaging.
- Use strong passwords and never share them.
- Regularly communicate with your child about the importance of online safety.
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