The fourth BEE SECURE Radar report has been published in Luxembourg
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Luxembourg has published the fourth BEE SECURE Radar report analysing the digital habits of young people and the risks associated with technology. The document was launched on 11 February 2025 as part of Safer Internet Day. The research covers students, parents and teachers, reflecting their perceptions of social media, screen time, cyber threats and artificial intelligence.
According to a survey of over 14,000 students aged 8 to 18, Snapchat, WhatsApp and Instagram are the most popular. In junior school, WhatsApp remains the leader (53%), followed by Snapchat (37%) and TikTok (22%). In secondary school, the situation is slightly different: Snapchat (74%) is firmly in the lead, followed by WhatsApp (67%) and Instagram (47%).
Almost all respondents are aware of the screen time control feature on smartphones, but many find it difficult to limit themselves. Between 50% and 70% of teens admitted to picking up their phone several times an hour. More than half of those surveyed believe young people spend too much time online: 54% among 12-16 year olds, 79% among 17-30 year olds and 90% among teachers. Excessive smartphone use remains a major concern for parents and educators.
The main digital threats differ by age. Adults (parents, teachers, young people 17-30 years old) are more concerned about social media influence, misinformation, data protection and cyberbullying. For 12-16 year olds, the main concerns are cyberbullying and access to sexual content.
The age restriction questions elicited an interesting response: most adults (and even 69 per cent of 12-17 year olds) support the idea of mandatory age verification for 18+ content.
The BEE SECURE Helpline received 72 calls from teenagers, the largest number of which concerned sextortion, a situation in which victims are blackmailed with intimate photos. Cybercrime, including fraud, phishing and hacking, ranked second among cyber threats.
For the first time, the report focused on perceptions of artificial intelligence (AI). Most respondents see AI as an opportunity rather than a threat, but at the same time fear its impact on society as a whole.
A separate section is devoted to finding information and checking sources. An analysis from the Zentrum fir politesch Bildung (ZpB) shows that a critical attitude to information is an important skill for all ages. Experts emphasise that media literacy should be a priority part of school education.
The BEE SECURE initiative launched the "Een Af mécht der Honnert" campaign on deep fake, misinformation and artificial intelligence. All these measures are part of the national plan "sécher.digital", which aims to foster safe digital habits in children and adolescents.
The BEE SECURE Radar report confirms that technology continues to play a huge role in young people's lives, creating new opportunities but also new threats. Parents, teachers and young people themselves recognise the risks, but the question remains: how can we balance the benefits of technology with safety?
