Czech children and adolescents use generative artificial intelligence (AI) most frequently for school-related tasks, particularly for writing essays or reports (42%), and for summarising or explaining longer texts (39%). Everyday use is also common, with approximately one-third of Czech children and adolescents using generative AI to get recommendations. They ask AI what to do, watch, listen to, or what to buy (29.5%). These findings are part of the research report published today on Safer Internet Day by experts from the Faculty of Social Studies at Masaryk University. The results are based on over 2,600 responses from children and adolescents aged 9–17.

Sexting has become a common part of the digital lives of Czech adults. More than one-third of the adult population have sent videos, photos, or text messages with sexual content, and among 18–29-year-olds, this figure reaches nearly one half. It is therefore not a marginal phenomenon but a regular aspect of intimate relationships in the digital age - one that will likely become even more widespread as younger generations grow older. These findings come from a report by the research team IRTIS at the Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, based on three surveys conducted in the Czech Republic. Notably, sexting is also linked to negative experiences, with men reporting higher levels of sexual coercion than expected.

In a recently published study, we looked at adolescents receiving online sexual solicitations. Despite the fact that receiving these messages often upsets them, many choose not to confide in their parents, thus losing a potential source of support. We investigated adolescents’ experiences with online sexual solicitations and the barriers that prevent them from confiding in their parents. The study was authored by Barbora Lisztwan Honusová, Lenka Dědková and Vojtěch Mýlek from IRTIS and published in Children and Youth Services Review.​

How much do smartphones interfere with our everyday lives? Is it even possible to disconnect from the digital world? And what strategies do we need to achieve that? Cynthia Dekker, a researcher from the prestigious University of Amsterdam, came to Brno to discuss these and other questions.

How much time do children spend on their phones, and what do parents know about their online social lives? This question is among the key topics researched by Lenka Dědková, who has been included in this year’s Forbes Top Women in Science 2025 list.

MediaPsych Conference 2025: a venue for discussing the psychological and social dimensions of digital technologies.

At the end of June, we participated in an international conference in Budapest, where we presented the first results of the Perceived anonymity in computer-mediated communication (PACC) project along with other research activities. Interested in what we presented? Detailed information and the full texts of our talks can be found below!

Sending and receiving sexually explicit messages is more common among teenagers than many might think. A new nationally representative study of Czech adolescents reveals not only how many of them engage in sexting, but also how they feel about it – and why girls often report more negative emotions than boys.