FOMO Drives Girls to Stay Online Despite Rising Online Harms

A Girlguiding survey reveals that fear of missing out keeps young women on social media amidst increasing cyberbullying and sexism.

The Girlguiding survey found that over 77% of girls aged 7 to 21 experienced online harm in the past year.
Fear of missing out (FOMO) prevents more than half of girls aged 11 to 21 from taking breaks from social media.
Incidents of cyberstalking and exposure to unwanted sexual images have increased among young women.
Despite high connectivity, only 37% of girls feel they have strong online relationships, a decrease over four years.
The survey highlights widespread sexism, with 85% of respondents encountering it in daily life, impacting their sense of safety.