your story matters

Your insights have the power to make real change. We want to make sure that our generation’s thoughts and experiences are at the heart of conversations around online safety.

Your Privacy

We will add your story to our website once we have reviewed it. If you share your first name and age with us they will be the only details that we share with your story. For more details see our privacy policy

Do’s and Don’ts

We delete responses that contain contact details, deeply graphic details that could harm our community, personally identifiable details other than your first name, abusive submissions or spam.

Trigger warning

Stories may contain details of abuse or mental illness including self harm and suicide. We are here to share stories and create change, but we are not a helpline. If you are struggling, please seek support, and visit our Get Help page.

Read YOUR stories

Stories may contain details of abuse or mental illness including self harm and suicide. If you are struggling, please seek support, and visit our Get Help page.

Age 18 Behind Our Screens Age 18 Behind Our Screens

I was forced to send nudes to a boy younger than me when I was 15

I was forced to send nudes to a boy younger than me when I was 15. He would always beg and beg and then threatened to kill himself as a last resort and I caved. I've felt disgusted and disappointed with myself ever since its always on my mind. He was racist and sexist towards me I only turned 18 last year. I feel sick and felt that I had to send those pictures otherwise he'd kill himself I hate myself for doing this and I worry about my future jobs from now on. I became quite ill and depressed after that because I just hated what I did. I haven't sent any after that day and I won't again.

Read More
Age 18 Behind Our Screens Age 18 Behind Our Screens

You feel independent and free but so quickly lose control

I feel that when you start using social media as a kid you feel independent and free but at the same time you so quickly lose control. I remember people starting to post pictures of me or send them on snapchat even before I had social media myself. They weren’t compromising photos and so it was not done with intentional malice but I remember getting extreme anxiety about the lack of control that I had over the situation. I wouldn’t have posted or sent those photos. When I asked for an instagram post to be taken down (just the photo of me) they refused as they didn’t want to loose the likes etc that they had on that post. I think people underestimate the impact of the anxiety on young people of using social media and having an online presence.

Read More
Age 18 Behind Our Screens Age 18 Behind Our Screens

A friend sent a nude to a friends sister

A friend of mine sent a nude to a friends sister (older). She then took a picture of it and put it on her story. Around 100 people saw it before she took it down. He then got major anxiety and struggled with friends at school. All due to sending a stupid picture online. Word spread around school and before long everyone knew.

Read More

THe internet shaped us. now we’re shaping it

Join us