India tops Snap's digital well-being report as 78% of Gen Z seek support for online safety

Ahead of Safer Internet Day on 11 February 2025, Snapchat has released the third edition of its Digital Well-Being Index (DWBI), highlighting the evolving online experiences of Gen Z across six countries, including India. The findings indicate that while India maintains strong digital well-being, online risks remain a growing concern.

The survey, conducted with over 9,000 respondents in India, Australia, France, Germany, the UK, and the US, assessed the well-being of Gen Z users, including teenagers (13-17), young adults (18-24), and parents of teens (13-19). India secured the highest digital well-being score for the third consecutive year at 67, reflecting strong parental engagement and support networks. The study found that 78% of Indian Gen Zs sought support for online safety, up from 65% in 2023. Parental involvement also saw an increase, with 70% of parents actively checking in with their teenagers, the highest among surveyed countries.

Despite these positive indicators, the report highlights that India recorded the highest rates of sextortion, a form of online blackmail where someone threatens to share private, often intimate, images or videos of a person unless they comply with demands. 71% of respondents reporting being sextorted, and 55% fell victim to it. Additionally, 77% reported losing control over shared intimate imagery, with 80% of these cases involving minors aged 13-17. Grooming was another major issue, affecting 60% of respondents, with minors making up 56% of those impacted.

Commenting on the findings, Uthara Ganesh, Head of Public Policy, India and South Asia at Snap Inc, emphasised the importance of dialogue between parents and teenagers in ensuring online safety. "This positive evolution in the digital parent-teen dynamic is crucial for navigating an increasingly complex online landscape," she added.

Snap Inc’s Efforts to Enhance Digital Well-Being

Snap has incorporated these findings into its ongoing digital well-being initiatives. Features like Snapchat’s Family Center, which provides parental oversight tools while respecting teen privacy, have been updated to include enhanced content controls and the ability to disable My AI, the platform’s chatbot, for teenage users.

The report underscores both progress and challenges in ensuring online safety. While India leads in digital well-being, the increasing prevalence of online threats highlights the need for continued awareness and intervention to protect young users.