Online Safety Day: Helping children navigate artificial intelligence and social media safely
Children and adolescents are growing up in a digital environment shaped by social media and artificial intelligence (AI). These tools influence how children learn, communicate, and understand the world around them. While digital technologies can offer valuable opportunities, they also expose children to risks related to misinformation, privacy, online harm, and emotional wellbeing.
For many children, constant exposure to online comparison, negative content, or overwhelming information can contribute to anxiety, fear, or a sense of social pressure, especially when they face these experiences alone.
In Iraq, children are rapidly becoming active digital users. Internet penetration reached nearly 79% of the population in 2024, with social media used by more than two-thirds of the population (DataReportal, 2024: https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2024-iraq). A recent UNICEF-related survey found that almost four out of five children aged 10–14 are online daily, often through their own smartphones, while only a small proportion of parents regularly monitor their online activity (UNICEF Iraq reporting cited in national analysis: https://shafaq.com/en/Report/Children-in-chains-How-Iraq-s-digital-safety-fails-the-Online-Generation). At the same time, new children are coming online every day, highlighting the growing importance of equipping children, families, and communities with the skills and support needed for safe digital engagement.
From World Vision’s child protection perspective, online safety must ensure that children have the knowledge, skills, and trusted support they need to make safer choices and to seek help when something feels wrong.
Key online safety challenges for children
In many contexts, children face similar challenges online:
Difficulty identifying false or misleading information, including AI-generated content
Limited understanding of how personal data is collected and used online
Exposure to harmful or distressing content
Online pressure that can affect emotional wellbeing, especially when children lack trusted adults to talk to
Limited emotional and developmental capacity to assess risks, manage online conflict, or cope with distressing content
These risks increase when children are expected to manage digital spaces on their own, without guidance from adults or peers.
The role of parents, schools, and communities
More than monitoring or restriction, children benefit from trusted relationships where they feel safe to talk about their online experiences without fear of blame or punishment.
Parents, caregivers, and schools play a critical role in helping children stay safe online. Open conversations, clear and age-appropriate rules, and basic digital literacy skills can significantly reduce risks. Children need support not only to understand what is unsafe online, but also to know where to turn for help.
Schools and community spaces are especially important for building critical thinking skills, respectful online behaviour, and awareness of digital risks in ways that are relevant to children’s everyday lives.
“In today’s digital environment, the most effective protection is relational. Children who have strong digital literacy, emotional coping skills, and trusted adults to turn to are significantly more resilient to misinformation, online harm, and the psychological pressures of social media and AI.” - Mike Kirakossian, Regional Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Adviser, World Vision MEER
How World Vision Iraq is taking action
World Vision Iraq is working to integrate online safety into child participation and protection activities. As part of this effort, World Vision Iraq will organise a dedicated session with children through the Children Working Group, focusing on:
understanding AI and social media in simple, age-appropriate ways
recognising online risks such as misinformation, scams, and unsafe data sharing
knowing how and where to seek help
Following the session, children will be supported to share key online safety messages with other children, helping to spread awareness among their peers in a safe and accessible way. This child-to-child approach recognises children not only as beneficiaries, but also as active contributors to safer digital environments.
This approach also strengthens children’s sense of agency, confidence, and collective responsibility, which are key protective factors for both online safety and overall wellbeing.
Looking ahead
World Vision Iraq will continue exploring ways to integrate online safety into child-focused programming, including awareness sessions, engagement with parents and caregivers, and collaboration with schools and community actors where possible. The goal is to ensure that online safety becomes part of everyday child protection efforts, as part of sustained, system-level child protection efforts that connect children, families, schools, and communities.
By supporting children with practical knowledge, trusted relationships, and opportunities to share what they learn, World Vision Iraq aims to help children navigate digital spaces with greater confidence and safety.