This initiative forms part of the Information Commissioner’s “Control Your Privacy” campaign which aims to provide different sectors of the community, including school children, with information about data protection and privacy rights. Launched in the 2013/2014 academic year, the survey examines the relationship between the use of digital technology and privacy matters amongst Year 5, 7, 9 and 11 students from local schools, including level 1 and 2 students from the Gibraltar College.

In this report, the information gathered from the survey is set out, and where appropriate, compared to results from previous years, with the aim of highlighting key changes and/or behavioural trends in privacy practices in an online environment by students in Gibraltar, in particular, when using digital technology.

The survey forms part of the Information Commissioner’s “Control Your Privacy” campaign, the aim of which is to provide different sectors of the community, including school children, with information about data protection and privacy rights.

The survey, carried out in schools in Gibraltar during the 2020/21 academic year examines the relationship between the use of digital technology and privacy matters amongst Year 5, 7, 9 and 11 students.

The information gathered from the survey has been analysed and features in the Information Commissioner’s report which also highlights key changes and/or behavioural trends in privacy practices amongst students in Gibraltar when using digital technology, in particular, Social Networking Sites (“SNS”). 

Two privacy awareness surveys were carried out in schools in Gibraltar during the 2019/20 academic year. One of the surveys was aimed at year 5 students, whilst the other was aimed at year 7, 9 and 11 students.

The surveys examined the relationship between the use of new digital technologies and privacy matters. This initiative forms part of the Information Commissioner’s awareness raising programme for schools, conducted in cooperation with the Department of Education.

The Press Release and Report is available for download below.

The Privacy Awareness School Survey carried out in schools in Gibraltar during the 2018/19 academic year, examined the relationship between the use of new digital technologies, social networking sites (“SNS”) and privacy matters. Some of the key findings are summarised as follows: 

• Virtually all students use SNS, including 99% of Year 7 Students;
• Daily use of SNS for private messaging increases with age;
• Use of SNS to post comments by Year 11 Students has decreased;
• The use of privacy controls on SNS by Year 7 Students has dropped by 11% from the previous year;
• There is a continued risk to privacy from ‘media rich’ SNS such as WhatsApp;
• The emergence of online console gaming apps poses potential risks to younger users.

The Press Release and Report is available for download below.

For the fifth consecutive year, the Information Commissioner’s office undertook a survey to assess the relationship between the use of Social Networking Sites (“SNS”) and privacy amongst students from local schools. Some of the key findings are summarised as follows:

• Virtually all students use SNS, including 92% of Year 7 Students;
• SNS is used mostly for private messaging, and its use grows as students get older;
• Use of SNS to post images or comments by Year 7 and Year 9 Students is decreasing;
• Three quarters of students reveal information about others without their consent;
• Students are increasingly using security features such as a PIN to protect access to their mobile devices, with Year 11 Students being the most secure.

The Press Release and Report is available for download below.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Information Commissioner’s office undertook a survey on the use of Social Networking Sites (“SNS”) and privacy amongst students from local schools. Some of the key findings of the survey are summarised as follows:

• 41% of all students always use appropriate privacy controls when using SNS;
• Risks to privacy arise from the unauthorised disclosure and interception of photographs;
• 17% of students always or regularly reveal information about others without consent;
• Students increase their use of SNS the older they get;
• There has been an improvement in privacy practices amongst Year 11 students;
• Year 7 Students are the least secure when using security features and locking their mobile devices.

The Press Release and Report is available for download below.

For the third consecutive year, the Information Commissioner’s office undertook a survey on the use of Social Networking Sites (“SNS”) and privacy amongst students from local schools. Some of the key findings of the survey are summarised as follows:

• 84% of Year 7 Students use SNS;
• 40% of all students hardly ever, or never, use appropriate privacy controls;
• 1 in 5 students reveal information about others without their consent;
• Students decrease their use of privacy controls when using SNS the older they get;
• Students aged 17 and over from the Gibraltar College are the least secure when using SNS and locking mobile devices.

The Press Release and Report is available for download below.

The Information Commissioner’s office undertook a second school survey on the use of Social Networking Sites (“SNS”) and privacy. Some of the key findings of the survey are summarised as follows:

• 97% of Year 7 Students use SNS;
• 37% of the students hardly ever, or never use appropriate privacy controls;
• Risks to privacy from the unauthorised disclosure and interception of photographs;
• 1 in 4 students reveal information about others without their consent;
• Year 9 Students are the least secure when using SNS and portable devices.

The Press Release and Report is available for download below.

As part of its Control Your Privacy Campaign, the Information Commissioner’s office, with the co-operation of the Department of Education, carried out a survey on a total of 378 students between the ages of 11 and 12. The survey was carried out during the months of February and March 2014.

The purpose of the survey was to obtain an understanding on the extent of use of social networking sites (“SNS”) amongst children in school Year 7. The survey served to learn about habits with regards to SNS, in particular, which SNS are being used, the reasons and frequency of use, and the extent to which available privacy controls are being used. The survey also enabled the Information Commissioner to establish the extent to which those using mobile devices use available security, namely password or PIN.

The Press Release and Report is available for download below.