Children are extremely unhappy because of WhatsApp groups: 'It has a huge impact on their well-being'

A WhatsApp group with classmates or friends might sound like a great way to socialize, but the reality often turns out to be different. New research from Helpwanted shows that a quarter of young people are excluded from these chats at least once a month, and that peer pressure is immense.

The study, which surveyed over 1,000 young people aged 10 to 20, found that half of all young people have experienced online exclusion , with one in four (23 percent) experiencing it at least once a month. Online exclusion occurs primarily in group chats and has been shown to have serious psychological consequences, including insomnia , social isolation, and depression. Young people who experience online exclusion report feeling sad (43 percent), angry (35 percent), and lonely (30 percent). About a quarter of young people regularly feel depressed or down due to online exclusion.

The study's findings are alarming. "These figures highlight the enormous impact group chats as a social environment have on the well-being of many young people," says Rivka Otten of Helpwanted, a helpline for online harassment. "It's alarming that young people feel so alone after being excluded online. Yet, only a small percentage receives help. It's essential to empower young people to break through group behavior and speak out as quickly as possible if they find something unacceptable. The message is clear: Stand up for each other. Online, too."

The role of bystanders—and especially children—proves to be crucial. A third of young people (33%) sometimes feel pressured to participate in online exclusion. Young people want to intervene, but the biggest barrier is the fear of negative consequences for themselves (64%). "Young people are in a phase of life where social validation is extremely important. This makes them more susceptible to peer pressure. That's precisely why we need to equip young people with skills to recognize that pressure and to transform it into something positive," explains Dr. Remco Spithoven, social scientist and lecturer in Online Resilience at Saxion University of Applied Sciences.

In addition, many young people feel that adults underestimate the severity of the problem. "69% of young people indicate that teachers don't realize how often online exclusion occurs, and 68% of young people believe that schools should do more to prevent exclusion. Anti-Bullying Week, which takes place from September 22nd to 26th, is therefore an opportunity to initiate dialogue on this topic, so that teachers and parents can play an active role and create a safer environment for young people," says Marijke van der Zalm of School & Safety.