McAfee's latest study on children's online safety highlights escalating parental anxieties amid a surge in AI-manipulated content, with 27% citing cyberbullying and 25% harmful content as top worries, alongside 18% concerned about deepfakes. As middle schoolers face heightened risks like gaming scams and impersonation, the research underscores a widening confidence gap, urging families to blend AI-powered tools with open dialogues to safeguard digital natives.
Parents of children who have encountered online threats describe prevalent dangers that underscore the urgency of proactive measures. Cyberbullying affects 43% of targeted kids, disproportionately impacting girls at 51% versus 39% for boys, with incidents surging to 62% among girls aged 13-15. Inappropriate contact reaches 28%, rising sharply to over one in three for ages 13-15. Deepfake and nudify misuse hits 19%, doubling to 38% for teen girls, while blackmail or sextortion impacts 25%, with 53% of boys aged 16-18 affected. Online gaming scams target 30%, particularly boys at 43% in early teens.
A significant disconnect exists between parental awareness and action as digital risks accelerate. Nearly half of parents (48%) acknowledge their child knows more about technology, and 42% struggle to track evolving threats. Confidence in spotting fakes stands at just 34%, especially for AI-generated content. Monitoring lags, with 56% identifying late nights as riskiest, yet only 33% checking devices daily and 41% weekly. Discussions occur in 95% of families, but regular check-ins drop to half, and rule-setting remains rare. This gap intensifies in teen years, with safety talks falling to 54% and daily checks as low as 6-9% for older girls.
Nearly one in four parents (22%) report their child targeted by threats, from bullying to deepfakes. Cyberbullying tops concerns for 17% of parents of 13-15-year-old daughters. AI-generated deepfakes rank in 18% of top-three lists overall, escalating to 33% for younger parents. Harmful content worries 16% of parents of 10-12-year-old boys most. Unsafe contact ranks fourth overall, with 20% of parents of teen daughters citing it as primary. “Today’s online threats aren’t abstract risks — families are facing them every day,” said Abhishek Karnik, head of threat research for McAfee. “Parents’ top concerns are the toll harmful content, particularly cyberbullying and AI-generated deepfakes, takes on their children’s mental health, self-image, and safety. That’s why it’s critical to pair AI-powered online protection with open, ongoing conversations about what kids encounter online. When children know how to recognize risks and misinformation and feel safe talking about these issues with loved ones, they’re better prepared to navigate the digital world with confidence.”
The fallout manifests emotionally, with 42% of affected kids feeling anxious or embarrassed, 37% facing friendship or school disruptions, and 31% avoiding technology. A quarter of families (26%) seek therapy or counseling for coping support.
McAfee advocates combining tech safeguards with family engagement: Pair parental controls with judgment-free talks on bullying or coercion; teach verification for suspicious content; establish and update a family tech contract using McAfee’s Technology Pledge; secure devices with updates, Scam Detector for links, and VPN for public Wi-Fi; and review privacy settings jointly via tools like McAfee Social Privacy Manager.
McAfee's findings illuminate the pressing need for empowered digital parenting in an AI era, where threats like deepfakes amplify traditional risks. By bridging knowledge gaps through tools and conversations, families can foster resilience, ensuring kids explore online worlds with security and confidence.
McAfee commissioned an online survey in August 2025 of ~4,300 parents or guardians of children under 18 across Australia, France, Germany, India, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
McAfee Corp. is a global leader in online protection for consumers. Focused on protecting people in an always-online world, McAfee’s solutions adapt to user needs, empowering individuals and families with secure, intuitive tools. For more information, visit www.mcafee.com.
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