Snapchat released the third edition of its Digital Well-Being Index (DWBI) just days before Safer Internet Day, observed on 11 February 2025. The report offers insights into the online experiences of Gen Z users across six countries, including India. The findings reveal a strong performance in India for the third consecutive year but underscore rising concerns about online risks.
The survey, which gathered responses from over 9,000 participants in India, Australia, France, Germany, the UK, and the US, focused on the digital well-being of Gen Z users aged 13-24 and parents of teens. India emerged as the leader in digital well-being, securing the highest score at 67.
This score reflects positive parental engagement and robust support networks. Seventy-eight percent of Indian Gen Zs sought assistance for online safety—an increase from 65 percent in 2023. Parental involvement was also noteworthy, with 70 percent of parents actively checking in on their teenagers, the highest among all the countries surveyed.
Online risks persist despite strong support systems
However, despite these positive signs, the report highlights troubling trends related to online safety. India recorded the highest rates of sextortion, a form of online blackmail in which private, often intimate, images or videos are used to extort victims.
A staggering 71 percent of respondents reported being targeted by sextortion, with 55 percent of them falling victim. Additionally, 77 percent of participants reported losing control over shared intimate images, with 80 percent of these cases involving minors aged 13-17. Grooming was another alarming issue, affecting 60 percent of respondents, with minors comprising 56 percent of those impacted.
Uthara Ganesh, Head of Public Policy for India and South Asia at Snap Inc., commented on the findings, stressing the importance of communication between parents and teenagers to ensure online safety. She noted, “This positive evolution in the digital parent-teen dynamic is crucial for navigating an increasingly complex online landscape.”
Snap Inc.’s efforts to foster digital well-being
Snapchat has used these findings to inform its ongoing initiatives to improve digital well-being. The platform’s Family Center, which offers parental oversight tools while respecting teen privacy, has been updated to include better content controls.
Additionally, the Family Center allows parents to disable My AI, Snapchat’s chatbot, for teenage users, further enhancing their ability to monitor and protect their children’s online interactions.
The report highlights the progress made in improving digital well-being and the challenges in addressing the increasing online threats young users face. While India continues to lead in digital well-being, the rising prevalence of online dangers calls for sustained efforts and greater awareness to safeguard Gen Z’s online safety.
