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New Linewize Survey Finds 90% of U.S. Schools Concerned About Online Mental Health Impacts as Students Turn to AI Chatbots for Support

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META The article mentions Instagram as a top platform contributing to anxiety, negative self-image, and distraction among students, indicating a negative impact of the platform. CHTR The article mentions Linewize, a division of Qoria, which provides digital safety solutions for schools. Charter Communications is not directly mentioned, but its subsidiary Spectrum provides internet services that schools rely on, making it indirectly relevant to the topic of online student safety. SNOW The article discusses the increasing use of AI chatbots by students for support, highlighting potential risks associated with AI. Snowflake is a cloud-based data warehousing company that provides services for AI and machine learning, making it indirectly relevant to the broader AI discussion. GOOG The article discusses the rise of AI chatbots and social media platforms. Google is a major player in both AI development and social media (YouTube), making it indirectly relevant to the concerns raised about AI dependency and social media obsession among students. MSFT The article discusses the increasing use of AI chatbots by students for support, highlighting potential risks associated with AI. Microsoft is a significant player in AI development and offers various cloud services that could be used for AI applications, making it indirectly relevant to the broader AI discussion. NVDA The article discusses the increasing use of AI chatbots by students for support, highlighting potential risks associated with AI. NVIDIA is a leading provider of GPUs essential for AI development and training, making it indirectly relevant to the broader AI discussion. SNAP The article mentions Snapchat as a top platform contributing to anxiety, negative self-image, and distraction among students, indicating a negative impact of the platform. TT The article mentions TikTok as a top platform contributing to anxiety, negative self-image, and distraction among students, indicating a negative impact of the platform.

Global survey of nearly 1,000 schools reveals rising digital harm, growing AI risks, and urgent need for improved early-intervention tools

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Linewize, the North American division of global safety and student wellbeing leader Qoria, today released new findings from its 2025 See the Signs survey, the company's largest global study to date. Nearly 1,000 schools across the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand participated, with data revealing mounting concerns around student mental health, AI dependency, and escalating exposure to digital harm.

U.S. schools reported the highest levels of concern globally, with 90% saying they are moderately to extremely worried about the mental health impacts of students' online lives. Nearly half (48%) experience digital harm incidents weekly or daily.

Students Turning to AI Over Trusted Adults

One of the survey's most alarming trends is the rise of students leaning on AI chatbots for emotional support:

"Kids are confiding in AI tools like they're therapists, and we're not hearing about serious issues until much later – if at all," said one U.S. school principal who participated in the survey.

Social Media Obsession and Platform Risks Climbing

Social media continues to dominate school concerns, with 83% of U.S. respondents citing obsession with platforms as a major issue – the highest rate across all countries surveyed.

Educators identified TikTok (93%), Snapchat (73%), and Instagram (56%) as top platforms contributing to anxiety, negative self-image, distraction, and unhealthy comparison cycles.

Schools Overwhelmed, Calling for Better Support

The survey also highlights the extent to which schools feel they are constantly operating in reactive mode:

Path Forward: Early Detection and School-Home Partnership

The See the Signs survey outlines three core needs: better detection of early warning signs, improved parent involvement, and guidance on managing emerging technologies like AI.

"These findings underscore what we hear from school leaders every day: digital harm is a daily reality for students," said Harrison Parker, Executive Vice President of Linewize. "Our mission is to help schools move from reactive crisis response to proactive prevention by giving educators and families the necessary tools to identify early signs, stay engaged, and support comprehensive student wellbeing."

The report also introduces Linewize's updated See the Signs framework, a set of free educator resources designed to help staff and families recognize early indicators of mental health or digital safety concerns.

About the Survey

The 2025 See the Signs survey includes responses from nearly 1,000 schools globally, with 353 based in the U.S. Participants included district leaders, principals, counselors, digital learning leads, and classroom teachers. The survey was conducted in July 2025.

For more information about Linewize and its comprehensive suite of solutions for K-12, visit www.linewize.com.

About Linewize

Built by a global team of education experts and former school IT administrators, Linewize offers content-aware hybrid web filtering, student threat detection, classroom management, data analytics, a student wellbeing and culture platform, and a proprietary online community program that provides resources and expert information on safety and digital wellbeing for families. Linewize's comprehensive digital safety and wellbeing framework helps school districts address today's digital challenges to keep students safe in their online lives.

SOURCE Linewize