#ChildFinancialHarms

Children and parents’ financial skills and confidence are closely linked. What system changes might help enhance parents’ digital financial capability?

parentzone.org.uk/sites/defaul...

#childfinancialharms

Designing ways to identify Child Financial Harms in games

If we designed products and services to reduce online harm or support people when they experience it, what might this look like?

@rufflemuffin.bsky.social explores how design patterns could reduce #ChildFinancialHarms

parentzone.org.uk/article/desi...

Updated RSHE guidance now includes online financial harms – including the impact of gambling on wellbeing, and how gambling-like content can be contained in online games.

Read more: assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/687a3d...

#ChildFinancialHarms

Person sketching a website wireframe on paper with checkboxes and text boxes visible on a wooden table.

What if products and services were designed to reduce online harm or support those affected?

In this guest blog post, Sarah Drummond Director of School of Good Services explores designing ways to identify #ChildFinancialHarms in games.

parentzone.org.uk/article/desi...

Participants in ICPEN Sweep find a range of manipulative design practices in Mobile and Online games | ICPEN

'The [research] also found that the presence of loot boxes, in-game purchases and in-game advertisements was just as common in games rated ages 3 and up as it was in any other age classification.'
icpen.org/news/1432
#ChildFinancialHarms

Financial education provision mapping 2024: Final report | Money and Pensions Service The Money and Pensions Service's financial education provision mapping exercise provides a snapshot of financial education programmes for children and young people aged three to 24 in the UK.

NEW research by Money and Pensions Service recommends
"ensuring [financial education programmes] help prepare children and young people to manage and protect their money in a digital world."

#childfinancialharms

maps.org.uk/en/publicati...

Meta Battles an ‘Epidemic of Scams’ as Criminals Flood Instagram and Facebook Fake puppies and phony offers of mouthwatering bargains are often seeded by overseas crime networks; employees say company is reluctant to impede its advertising juggernaut

’Meta “does not owe a duty to users” to address fraud on its platforms.’

www.wsj.com/tech/meta-fr...

#ChildFinancialHarms

"Leave our kids alone!": Exploring Concerns Reported by Parents in 1-star Reviews | Proceedings of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

‘parents have a wide range of concerns about the games their children are playing, and these are sometimes wider reaching than the information that is typically available through age and content ratings that are given to games, such as PEGI.’ #childfinancialharms

dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/...

When spending and investing feel like play How internet culture and FinTech are reshaping children's financial futures

[addressing #childfinancialharms requires] “embedding children’s needs and perspectives into the very architecture of digital finance, not just adapting tools after the fact.”

www.unicef.org/innocenti/st...

When spending and investing feel like play How internet culture and FinTech are reshaping children's financial futures

“The integration of payment systems into social media platforms is reshaping digital interactions, with significant implications for users' financial behaviors, particularly among children and young people” #childfinancialharms

www.unicef.org/innocenti/st...

Playing the Player - CPRC Australians of all ages are engaging with gaming to relax, learn or connect with friends, but common design features can leave players worse-off – 95% of Australian adult gamers encounter manipulative...

‘46% of players experienced financial detriment from digital gaming’ #childfinancialharms

cprc.org.au/report/playi...

‘Literally just child gambling’: what kids say about Roblox, lootboxes and money in online games Kids who play Roblox games describe ‘scary’ virtual currencies and ‘cash grab’ random rewards.

'An 11-year-old described navigating nested virtual currencies as “scary”. A 13-year-old, when asked how much they thought Robux cost in Australian dollars, said, “I can’t even begin to grasp that.”'
theconversation.com/literally-ju... #childfinancialharms

Betting on Emotions: Unveiling Children's psychophysiological Responses to Social Media Gambling Ads and the Influence of Educational Interventions

'content marketing for gambling significantly appeals to children, eliciting positive emotions and often failing to be recognized as advertising' #Childfinancialharms
research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/publicati...

Mastercard and Visa linked to illegal gambling sites accused of scamming UK customers Card giants processing payments for unlicensed operators as customers report losing thousands

'An investigation has found that the payment giants are failing to stop their networks being used to make transactions on unlicensed sites despite a previous pledge to do so.'

www.theguardian.com/society/2025... #Childfinancialharms

Children and Digital Marketing Promoting responsible commercial practices in a hyperconnected world

‘With the rise of digital media, advertising to children has become a multibillion-dollar industry. One estimate finds that many 14-year-olds are exposed to 1,260 ads daily on social media alone. ‘

www.unicef.org/childrightsa... #childfinancialharms

#Gamblingharm is hidden. It is rarely associated with young people and their voices are often missed from the conversation

Our new survey with @youngscot.bsky.social looks at the financial toll of in-game purchases

youngscot.net/news-databas...

#childfinancialharms

Gambling strain on cash and relationships for young gamers - Young Scot Corporate A survey by Young Scot and Fast Forward has revealed the financial toll of in-game purchases with nearly a quarter of young gamers admitting to gambling while playing video games.

‘Gambling harm is hidden. It is rarely associated with young people and their voices are often missed from the conversation’

A survey by Young scot and @fastforwardyouth.bsky.social on the financial toll of in-game purchases

youngscot.net/news-databas...

#childfinancialharms

Mobile games Bus Out and Supermarket Simulator push gambling ads to kids Advertising regulator and Apple launch investigations as to how gambling ads are appearing on children’s games

'Children playing some of the most popular free mobile phone games downloaded through the Apple app store are being targeted with gambling adverts' by @sanyaburgess.bsky.social
inews.co.uk/news/mobile-... #childfinancialharms

Six in ten parents concerned about child financial harms | Parent Zone

6 in 10 parents say child financial harms are a problem that needs dealing with.

A new report by #ChildFinancialHarms consortium lead @parentzone.bsky.social outlines the action needed to address this growing problem.

Read more here:
parentzone.org.uk/article/six-...

Six in ten parents concerned about child financial harms | Parent Zone

As members of the #ChildFinancialHarms consortium we welcome this @parentzone.bsky.social report on the impact of online financial harms on families. Understanding the extent & nature of this issue is crucial for effective solutions, incl via the #PSHE curriculum

parentzone.org.uk/article/six-...

1. Time for a change? Talking Child Financial Harms with Adam Groves - Tech Shock - from Parent Zone The Tech Shock podcast hits double digits as it returns for its 10th season. As always, Vicki will be joined this season by a whole host of expert guests to talk all things tech, as well as taking a d...

Are current systems and responses failing if we properly appreciate harm through a financial lens?

NEW episode of the Techshock podcast explores system changes needed to mitigate #ChildFinancialHarms
techshock.buzzsprout.com/1739115/epis...

The many faces of online scams – four key deceptions targeted at children When many people think about online scams, they think about financial scams targeted at older people, or at adults in general. However, children are also the targets of deceptive behaviour online. …

'When many people think about online scams, they think about financial scams targeted at older people, or at adults in general. However, children are also the targets of deceptive behaviour online.' #childfinancialharms
blogs.lse.ac.uk/medialse/202...

Child Financial Harms | Parent Zone | At the heart of digital family life

The #ChildFinancialHarms consortium is leading research and responses to the growing challenges of online financial harms affecting children

Access more research, resources and insights in the CFH Hub: parentzone.org.uk/ChildFinancialHarms

Six in ten parents concerned about child financial harms | Parent Zone

6 in 10 parents say child financial harms are a problem that needs dealing with.

A new report by #ChildFinancialHarms consortium lead @parentzone.bsky.social outlines the action needed to address this growing problem

Read more about it here:
parentzone.org.uk/article/six-...

A problem hiding in plain sight? | Parent Zone

96% of 13-18 years olds shop online. Here's a reminder of the child financial harms that are too often overlooked 👇 parentzone.org.uk/article/prob... #childfinancialharms

How do virtual currencies manipulate behavior and spending patterns?

“Using premium currencies …is a practice that only benefits the video game company, while introducing various problems for the consumer.”

Full report:

storage02.forbrukerradet.no/media/2024/0... #childfinancialharms

‘It’s rotting young people’s brains’: the murky world of gambling in video games In-game purchases of bonus items have long been available. But now gamers are being lured into casino-style betting to win them

Skin gambling is just one of the many ways children and young people can make, spend and lose money online - much of which is beyond sight or understanding of parents and adults who may be able to offer help #childfinancialharms
www.theguardian.com/society/2024...