In my last article, I wrote about the effects of bullying and shared information on how to stop bullying in any environment. Now I want to share about cyberbullying and how it can affect young people. About 37 percent of young people between the ages of 12 and 17 have been bullied online, according to Do Something. This is in part because of the rise in cyberbullying over quarantine, where many kids had to do remote learning and were more often using technology. Here is some additional information about cyberbullying and how you can help prevent it.
The Definition of Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is the use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature. A study by Panda Security found that children ages 9 out of 10 are more likely to be bullied on gaming websites, while teens aged 13 to 16 are more likely to be affected by cyberbullying on social media.
Many teens and kids have at least one source of technology whether that be a phone, iPad or computer. About 95 percent of teens in the U.S. are online, according to Pew Research. Here are some things to keep in mind about cyberbullying:
- Cyberbullying is a confidence booster for the bully.
- Cyberbullying can be done anonymously.
- Cyberbullying allows socially inactive people to feel powerful and less weak.
- Kids see cyberbullying as a trend.
- Cyberbullying often serves as entertainment for kids who bully together.
The Prevalence of Cyberbullying in Society
As a teen myself, I see cyberbullying the most on TikTok under the comment section. Many people say rude things and others follow along because they are unaware that it can hurt someone’s feelings; they just see it as a joke.
A study conducted by Broad Band Search shares more information on cyberbullying:
- 60% of teenagers have experienced some sort of cyberbullying.
- 70% of teenagers have reported someone spreading rumors about them online.
- 87% of young people have seen cyberbullying online.
- 85% of teenagers are using social media.
- 61% of bullying is about appearance, 25 percent about academic achievement/intelligence, 17 percent about race, 15 percent about sexuality, 15 percent about financial status, 11 percent about religion and 20 percent about other reasons.
What You Can Do About Cyberbullying
After an experience of bullying, it is common to isolate yourself from family, friends and other loved ones. That’s true, especially if you believe no one else understands what you’re going through or that anyone can help you.
What can you do if you witness cyberbullying? If bullying takes place online, then you can simply message the person being bullied and ask if they are okay and how you can help. Other recommendations include banning the person from that social media platform, removing the comment or saying something to them directly. Cyberbullying is something that we should all take action on now.
Check out our other articles on similar topics:
- Bullying Prevention Starts with Kindness
- What Bullying Looks Like During COVID-19
- 5 Ways to Handle an Adult Bully
