Revealed: This Age Group Of Boys Is Most Vulnerable To Online Abuse

<div><img src="https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/68e78e8f160000df1d483511.jpg?ops=scalefit_630_noupscale" alt="" data-caption="" data-credit-link-back="" data-credit="Nazar Abbas Photography via Getty Images" /></div><div class="content-list-component text"><p>The <a href="http://huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/online-safety">online</a> world is vast – and while it can both educate and entertain kids for hours on end, there are murkier areas where they need to tread much more carefully. </p><p>New research from safety experts at <a href="https://www.mcafee.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">McAfee</a> has uncovered the most common online threats facing British <a href="http://huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/children">children</a>, including: <a href="http://huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/bullying">cyberbullying</a>, inappropriate contact and <a href="http://huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/scams">scams</a>.</p><p>The study of over 4,300 parents found one in six say their child has been targeted by an online threat in the UK. </p><p>The highest risk group is 12-year-old boys, with almost a third (32%) being targeted.</p><p>For girls, online dangers tend to emerge later, with reports steadily climbing through the teens and peaking at age 16, where more than one in five parents (22%) say their daughter has been targeted.</p><h2><strong>What are the most common online threats facing children?</strong></h2><p>According to the research, <strong>cyberbullying or harassment from peers</strong> (48%) is the number one threat. Nearly half of UK parents say their child has experienced cyberbullying, while one in three (35%) ranking it in their top three worries.</p>&lt