McAfee report uncovers a new kind of ‘stranger danger’ and it’s closer than you think
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For generations, parents have warned their children about strangers at the park or crossing the street. Today, the danger looks different, and far more invisible.
It’s a message in a group chat that turns cruel overnight. A viral video that uses AI to turn a photo into something a child never consented to. A feed that quietly shapes how kids see themselves before they even understand what’s happening.
According to a new McAfee global study of more than 4,000 parents, nearly one in four children has already been targeted by an online threat, and most families admit they feel outpaced by the technology they’re trying to manage.
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What’s really worrying parents
Parents aren’t just anxious about screen time anymore. They’re worried about the unseen emotional costs — the cyberbullying, the manipulation, and the relentless pressure to perform.
McAfee’s 2025 Global Family Digital Threat Report found that parents’ top fears include:
- Cyberbullying or harassment, especially among girls ages 13–15.
- AI-generated deepfakes and “nudify” apps, which parents under 35 now rank among their top three concerns.
- Exposure to harmful or inappropriate content, particularly for boys ages 10–12.
- Unsafe or coercive contact, which nearly one in five parents of teen girls say is their biggest worry.
As Abhishek Karnik, McAfee’s head of threat research, explains, these threats are no longer hypothetical. “Families are facing them every day,” he said. “The real concern is the emotional toll — the way harmful content, especially cyberbullying and AI-altered media, affects children’s mental health, confidence, and sense of safety.”
The invisible fallout
Behind every statistic is a story most parents know too well: the child who suddenly withdraws, the teen who becomes anxious about how they look, the family who has to rebuild trust after an online incident.
McAfee’s findings show just how deeply these moments can ripple through family life:
- 42% of families said their child felt anxious, unsafe, or embarrassed after an online encounter.
- 37% said the experience affected friendships or school.
- 31% said their child pulled away from technology altogether.
- 26% turned to therapy or counseling for support.
Parents of younger kids most often describe short-term fear or confusion, while parents of teens report longer-term emotional fallout — from damaged confidence to strained relationships.
Related: New report shows AI bots are putting kids at risk—what parents can do now
The part parents don’t talk about enough
When asked how confident they feel about keeping up, nearly half of parents admitted that their children know more about technology than they do. And while 95 percent of families talk about online safety, far fewer follow through consistently.
Most parents say the riskiest times are after school and late at night, yet only one in three checks devices daily. Not because they don’t care, but because constant monitoring feels impossible.
That gap between awareness and action isn’t neglect. It’s the modern parenting paradox: we’re expected to protect our kids from a world we didn’t grow up in and can barely see.
Related: Instagram just made a major change for teens—and parents are breathing easier
Finding a way forward
Experts agree that real safety begins not with software, but with connection. Filters and parental controls can help, but they work best when paired with open, ongoing dialogue.
Here are some grounded ways to start:
- Ask before you advise. A simple “What’s been showing up on your feed lately?” opens more doors than a lecture about screen time.
- Stay curious about their world. Sit beside your child while they show you a video or trend. Let them teach you. It builds trust and helps you spot red flags naturally.
- Talk about what’s real. Show kids how AI can manipulate photos or voices. Help them pause before believing or sharing something that feels off.
- Normalize boundaries. Phones don’t belong everywhere. Agree on screen-free zones, like bedrooms and family dinners, and stick to them together.
- Keep privacy personal. Review settings side by side, and talk about privacy as a form of ownership, help your child see it as a way to stay in control of their own story.
None of these steps are perfect, and they don’t have to be. The point is building a foundation of trust so that when something does go wrong, your child knows they can come to you first.
What it really means to feel safe
Technology will keep evolving faster than any of us can parent. But the things that make kids feel secure haven’t changed: being seen, heard, and loved in real life.
The McAfee study closes with a reminder worth holding onto: digital safety begins with awareness, grows through communication, and thrives on connection.
We can’t erase the internet, but we can raise kids who move through it with confidence, kindness, and the knowledge that they are never navigating it alone.
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