Mum issues stark warning to parents after autistic kids targeted by on

As millions of children in the UK begin their summer holidays, parents are facing a growing threat to their kids’ safety – and many feel powerless to stop it. New research has revealed that 75% of UK parents and guardians fear the dangers of AI-generated “deepfake” audio and video when it comes to their children online.

Deepfakes – hyper-realistic digital forgeries that can make people appear to say or do things they never did – are just one part of the complex web of online risks facing young people today. Yet shockingly, less than half of parents (42%) have actually spoken to their kids about online safety, and over a quarter (26%) say they aren’t confident in protecting their children from these emerging threats, according to new research by Virgin Media O2 and Internet Matters.

Cristin, a mother of two from Northern Ireland, has had first-hand experience of the harrowing impact online harms can have. Both of her children, a 13-year-old son and a 12-year-old daughter, who both have autism, have faced harassment and distress from online predators.

“As a mum of two autistic children, both have faced issues online in different forms,” Cristin explains. “My 12-year-old son – who has both autism and ADHD – set up a Twitter account without our knowledge. Somehow, he got around the family email account we had set up to monitor his activity. He started having regular phone calls with someone claiming to be a 15-year-old boy, talking about his special interests like Thomas the Tank Engine and military aircraft.”

Cristin continues: “My concern was whether this was the beginning of something worse. Thankfully, we caught it early on and had a conversation with him. But it just goes to show how quickly things can escalate, even for kids who seem streetwise about online safety.”

Her daughter has faced different challenges. “Her autism means she takes things incredibly literally, and she finds it hard to understand when kids are just ‘bantering’ in group chats. A friend made some comments about the way she speaks, and to her, it felt like bullying, even though the other child was just joking. We had to step in and speak to the parents to resolve the situation, as she doesn’t have the same understanding of when people are just joking around.”

Cristin’s experiences highlight the very real and complex threats facing young people online today. Virgin Media O2 and Internet Matters’ “Hidden Risks” research found that over a third (36%) of parents see deepfakes as a bigger threat than cyberbullying, hate speech and violent content. Yet almost a fifth (19%) admitted they don’t even know what deepfakes are.

“With two autistic kids, I have to navigate things differently,” says Cristin. “I have to really spell out the dangers to my son, as he doesn’t really get it. Whereas with my daughter, she can get quite anxious, so if we go too far, it really scares her. The most important thing is to have the conversation, but you have to cater it to your individual child.”

This stark warning from Cristin comes as Virgin Media O2 and Internet Matters launch their new “Find the Right Words” campaign, aimed at empowering parents to have these vital conversations about online safety. At the heart of the campaign is a powerful short film highlighting the difficulty parents face in explaining online risks to their children.

The film follows the lives of Anika, who appears to be a typical 17-year-old, and her mother Shanti. Through their story, the campaign sends a clear message: it’s never too early to talk to children about online safety.

Nicola Green, Chief Communications & Corporate Affairs Officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “As we head into the summer holidays – a period when we know children and young people are more likely to be online – we want to support parents and carers to have conversations about online safety.

“We know they’re not only worried about online harms like deepfakes, cyberbullying or inappropriate images or videos, but also unsure how to talk to their kids about it. With Virgin Media O2’s Find the Right Words campaign, we’re providing parents and guardians with the guidance, resources and support they need to take positive actions, like having open discussions about online safety with their children, and how to implement online safety controls.”

The campaign is being backed by leading charities Action for Children and Good Things Foundation, who will be sharing the new online safety guides and resources through their extensive UK-wide networks to reach parents and carers across the country.

Cristin echoes the sentiment, urging other parents to have those difficult conversations, no matter how daunting it may seem. “The most important thing is to have the conversation. I would say their primary school was really good with providing internet safety updates and tips on how to have conversations with your children. I know not everyone is so lucky.”

As the summer holidays get underway, Virgin Media O2 and Internet Matters are calling on all parents to find the right words to protect their children online. With the threat of deepfakes and other emerging risks, the time to act is now.