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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Health
Jonathan McCambridge

New report highlights the hold social media has on 16-year-olds

View of a mobile phone displaying social media apps such as Telegram, Signal, Instagram, X and LinkedIn - (AFP/Getty)

More than half of 16-year-olds in Northern Ireland have been subjected to illegal or harmful behaviours on social media, new research suggests.

The 2025 Northern Ireland Young Life and Times (YLT) survey highlighted that the most prevalent issues included the posting or sharing of offensive, indecent, or obscene material, alongside the non-consensual sharing of content and online stalking. These concerning behaviours were experienced by at least one in five young respondents.

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