10 Facts About Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying has reached new levels as more young people spend the bulk of their time on the internet. It has almost become a rite of passage. If you are a teenager, you are probably either a perpetrator or a victim. Only recently has cyberbullying been considered a real problem. Unfortunately, there is still a debate on whether it counts as bullying at all. When you look at the facts, you can come to your own conclusions. Cyberbullying is a huge problem that affects far too many children, teens, and adults all around the world.

1 – More than One Third of All Students Are Cyberbullied

Across all age ranges, students experience online harassment at astonishing rates. These run the gamut from repeated negative contact to sexual harassment to bullies pretending to be the other person and posting personal or false information about them.

2 – Social Media is the #1 Cyberbully Platform

A large chunk of all youth socialization occurs on social media platforms these days, which makes it a frequently used platform for mean behavior. Monitoring Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook use can help reduce the risk.

3 – Nearly 25% of Students Admit to Mean Behavior

The anonymity of the Internet makes it too easy for people to pick on others and engage in bullying behavior. This is often the result of joining in with instigators in an attempt to belong to a popular group.

4 – Girls Suffer from Cyberbullying Most Often

Stereotypical "mean girl" behavior descends into cyberbullying frequently and affects girls and young women at surprising rates. It is important to take action to help girls stand up for themselves and establish strong self-esteem and positive communities.

5 – The Majority Who See Cyberbullying Do Nothing

Although some join in, as mentioned above, far more people who witness bullying behavior online do nothing to stop it. Also, very few bystanders or bullied people themselves report the behavior to their parents, teachers, or the social media platform.

6 – Smartphone Use Is Linked to an Increase

With most children having access to their own phone before they are ten years old these days, it's difficult to stop bullying behavior on the most popular chat apps and interactive games. There is more continuous access which results in greater numbers of affected youth.

7 – Online Games Are Common for Cyberbullying

All games come with some level of playful "trash talking," but more games are connected with communities rife with cyberbullying. This leads to exclusion, direct violent attacks, and destruction of the victim's ability to enjoy their favorite game or pastime.

8 – For LGBTQ+ Students, Rates Increase Over 50%

Along with race and socioeconomic factors, inclusion in the LGBTQ community increases the risk of being cyber bullied by a large margin. Despite great strides toward acceptance in the new generation, far too many young people still experience harassment and outing against their will.

9 – Cyberbullying Puts Youth at Higher Risk of Suicide

Rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation have risen continuously for children and teens in the past decade. Cyberbullying is one of the key factors that contributes to these horrible things. 

10 – Parents, Teachers, Administrators, and Youth Can Help Stop Cyberbullying

If the increasing prevalence of cyberbullying will ever stop, it is up to everyone to make efforts to improve it. The social media platforms, gaming sites, and chat apps must also tighten their restrictions and create strong responses to any bullying behavior.