Cyber-Bullying and online Grooming: Helping to protect against the risks

European Network and Information Security Agency’s (ENISA) recent survey on the technology skills of children reveals that digital devices and the internet play a significant role in their lives. Today’s kids are living in an environment that is radically different from that of their parents; virtual environments are increasingly prevalent in private and education environments. This development is detrimental to their physical activities, social skills and the behavioral model that prevailed in previous generations.
Children are the most valuable part of every society, regardless of culture, religion and national origin. Given the rapidly increasing digitalisation of their lives, it seemed important to assess risks related to internet usage and, in particular, the risk of become a victim of online grooming and cyber bullying activities. This document should not be considered as overlapping with existing national and international initiatives in the area of child online protection. Rather, it complements them by pointing out additional elements that might be interesting to look at in the future.