A new survey of secondary school students in London* by Impero Software reveals that many have viewed prohibited online content during lessons including shopping sites, social media, and other restricted – and harmful – websites.

Over a quarter (27%) admit to shopping during class, with 42% of those even using school-owned devices to do so. More than a quarter (28%) have also accessed harmful or violent online content in the classroom, 17% have viewed X-rated content such as pornography, and 14% have used gambling sites. One in 10 students (12%) have even accessed the dark web during lessons.

Although usage generally increases with age, the data highlights how even the youngest pupils are accessing prohibited sites – nearly a fifth (17%) of 11-year-olds have viewed harmful/violent content in class.

More than half of pupils have listened to music or watched music videos (58%), used messaging apps (56%) or social media sites (50%), while more than a third (38%) admit to online gaming – and 30% have accessed AI sites like ChatGPT in lessons, to help with work.

Additionally, a third of students are using phones to film students without their permission (30%) and a fifth to film teachers without their permission (22%). What’s more, 17% have successfully bypassed their school’s internet filtering system.

Vic Raynor, safeguarding expert at Impero Software, emphasises the need for a balanced approach to addressing these safeguarding risks: “Schools have a duty to protect students from these very real online threats, but the debate over banning phones and tablets in schools is far from clear-cut. Our research suggests there are real safeguarding issues surrounding the use of mobile phones. But is the answer really to ban them outright? Or is the solution to embrace technology for its positives and focus on educating students on the importance of responsible use and practicing proper digital citizenship?”

Raynor further adds, “The research points to a need for ongoing conversation at every level about children’s online usage. It also highlights the importance of intelligent, considered monitoring systems, which can be tailored to meet the needs of pupils as they move through education and ensure they can access genuinely useful, age-appropriate content in class – and can do so safely.”

Impero’s research supports the notion that a blanket ban on mobile phones in schools may not fully address the safeguarding challenges, as many incidents involving mobile devices occur outside of school.

“A ban could not only limit the positive use of mobile technology for learning but also potentially expose children to other online risks. Such a ban could prompt students to use devices secretly, with students hesitant to report cyberbullying due to the fear of getting in trouble for using their phones or having them confiscated,” Raynor concludes.