One in three children talks to strangers in online games
Large-scale research among 85,000 children aged 8 to 12 shows that young gamers regularly encounter strangers, bullying and social pressure in online gaming environments. Nearly 30,000 children say they have spoken to someone they did not know while gaming, while two in three children experience unkind behaviour during gameplay. The figures highlight how risks in gaming environments often remain largely invisible to parents, despite the potentially significant impact on children.
Bullying and toxic behaviour widespread
More than 51,000 children reported that someone had been unkind to them in a game. For over 20,000 children, this happened frequently. Only a minority of around 34,000 children reported no negative experiences at all. This means that more than half of the children surveyed are confronted with harmful online interactions.
The research, conducted by HackShield in collaboration with Offlimits and the COPS offender prevention team of the Dutch National Police, followed earlier concerns about inappropriate behaviour within gaming environments. Secretary Van Marum is also currently commissioning research into Roblox, a popular platform used daily by many children.
Contact with strangers often goes unnoticed
When children interact online without guidance or supervision, they may come into direct contact with adults. This increases the risk of inappropriate requests or harmful interactions. Bullying and toxic behaviour can also lead to emotional consequences such as anxiety, low mood and social isolation.
“Does this mean parents should ban games altogether? Absolutely not. Games are great fun. But just as we would not throw our children into a swimming pool before they have learned to swim, we should guide them as they enter the digital world,” says Emily Jacometti, co-founder of HackShield.
Free toolkit available for parents
HackShield is calling for stronger collaboration between government, municipalities, game companies, schools and parents to help children become more digitally resilient. To support parents directly, a free toolkit has been developed with practical guidance on how to help children safely navigate online gaming environments. In early 2026, HackShield launched a new level focused on safe gaming, designed for children and parents to play together.
About HackShield Future Cyber Heroes
HackShield Future Cyber Heroes is an educational programme that helps children aged 7 to 12 navigate the digital world safely and confidently. Through an interactive game and accompanying educational programmes, children learn to recognise online risks and understand what they can do to protect themselves and others. The programme is free to access and built around three core principles: no child marketing, no data sales and maximum accessibility. More than 800,000 children worldwide have already played HackShield.
