Hidden harm online: One in four vulnerable youth faced abuse, few reported it

A new study from the Child Mind Institute reveals that negative online experiences are alarmingly common among children and adolescents with mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions, with approximately one in four experiencing abuse. Most troubling is that the majority of these incidents go unreported through platform reporting tools, leaving vulnerable youth without adequate protection. The research highlights a significant gap in digital safety for young people managing conditions like anxiety, depression, autism, and ADHD. This underreporting suggests that youth may lack awareness of reporting mechanisms, fear consequences, or distrust platform responses. Understanding these barriers is critical for parents, healthcare providers, and platforms to better support and safeguard vulnerable adolescents online.