Young people and exposure to harmful online content in 2022

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Release date: February 27, 2024
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Infographic: Young people and exposure to harmful online content in 2022
Description: Young people and exposure to harmful online content in 2022

In 2022, almost all (99%) young Canadians aged 15 to 24 used the Internet and 91% used social networking sites.

71% of young Canadians reported seeing online hate content in the previous 12 months. This is well above the national average (49%).


In the previous 12 months, 1 in 8 young people saw online content daily that could incite hate or violence
Table summary
This table displays the results of In the previous 12 months Percent (appearing as column headers).
Percent
Daily 12.6%
Once a month to a few times a month 37.0%
Once a year to a few times a year 21.7%

Young people are more likely to be exposed to intimate images or videosNote 1 online
Table summary
This table displays the results of Young people are more likely to be exposed to intimate images or videos online Population aged 15 to 24 and Total population (appearing as column headers).
Population aged 15 to 24 Total population
Daily 5% 3%
Once a month to a few times a month 12% 7%
Once a year to a few times a year 16% 10%

While young people with a disability are less likely to use the Internet, they are almost three times more likely (29%)Note 2 to see online content that could incite hate or violence than young people without disabilities (11%).

According to police-reported data collected between 2018 and 2022…

  • More than a third (36%) of victims of cyber-related hate crimes were under the age of 25
  • Young persons suspected or accused of a cyber-related hate crime
    • 31% - boys aged 12 to 17
    • 5% - girls aged 12 to 17

Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Internet Use Survey, 2022, and Incident-based Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2018 to 2022.

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Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada.

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2024

Use of this publication is governed by the Statistics Canada Open Licence Agreement.

Catalogue no. 11-627-M

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