Digital vulnerability in young people: gender, age and online participation patterns

Abstract

While the Internet is an important social environment, it can also bea devastating place with negative consequences for young people’s psy-chological well-being. This study examined associations among sociode-mographic factors with patterns of participation in online activities suchas gambling, betting, online shopping, videogames and eGames. A chi-square-test, Mann-Whitney U-test and multivariate correspondence ana-lysis of an online survey administered to 1500 young people (aged 18 to35) found gender differences with regard to digital vulnerability. Youngwomen’s digital habits and emotional experience (insecurity, social pres-sure, helplessness, feeling empty and anxiety) contribute to increased risk.Younger men participate in leisure activities perceived to be less risky(videogames and eGames), while older men have a higher level of parti-cipation in activities perceived to be riskier (betting and gambling), whichare associated with negative emotions. Younger subjects also experienceemotions of insecurity and shame through most of their daily time onsocial media.