Young LGBTQI+ people 'nearly twice as likely' to encounter hate speech online

More than two-thirds of young people have experienced bullying and harassment online or viewed distressing content, with young LGBTQI+ people nearly twice as likely to experience hate online, new research shows.The annual Digital Youth Index study, carried out by internet firm Nominet found that 69% of young people aged between eight and 25 said they had seen distressing content online, with Reddit, Twitter, TikTok and Tumblr named as the most common places to see it.The research found that minority groups were the most vulnerable to negative content online – finding that the LGBTQI+ community was nearly twice as likely (52%) to experience hate speech online compared to those who identify as heterosexual (26%).The feeling that being online had had a negative impact on them was also higher among LGBTQI+ people, as well as among those with a mental health condition.It’s never been more important for young people to feel connected, included and secure when they’re onlineThe study showed that 26% of all those surveyed had experienced violence online, 23% had seen abuse or trolling and a further 23% had encountered sexual content.Three in ten young people also said that their sleep had been negatively impacted by the internet and digital…
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