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Teens and cyberbullying 2022, nearly half of u.s. teens have been bullied or harassed online, with physical appearance being seen as a relatively common reason why. older teen girls are especially likely to report being targeted by online abuse overall and because of their appearance.

Pew Research Center conducted this study to better understand teens’ experiences with and views on bullying and harassment online. For this analysis, we surveyed 1,316 U.S. teens. The survey was conducted online by Ipsos from April 14 to May 4, 2022.

This research was reviewed and approved by an external institutional review board (IRB), Advarra, which is an independent committee of experts that specializes in helping to protect the rights of research participants.

Ipsos recruited the teens via their parents who were a part of its  KnowledgePanel , a probability-based web panel recruited primarily through national, random sampling of residential addresses. The survey is weighted to be representative of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 who live with parents by age, gender, race, ethnicity, household income and other categories.

Here are the  questions used for this report , along with responses, and  its methodology .

While bullying existed long before the internet, the rise of smartphones and social media has brought a new and more public arena into play for this aggressive behavior.

Nearly half of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 (46%) report ever experiencing at least one of six cyberbullying behaviors asked about in a Pew Research Center survey conducted April 14-May 4, 2022. 1

The most commonly reported behavior in this survey is name-calling, with 32% of teens saying they have been called an offensive name online or on their cellphone. Smaller shares say they have had false rumors spread about them online (22%) or have been sent explicit images they didn’t ask for (17%).

Some 15% of teens say they have experienced someone other than a parent constantly asking them where they are, what they’re doing or who they’re with, while 10% say they have been physically threatened and 7% of teens say they have had explicit images of them shared without their consent.

In total, 28% of teens have experienced multiple types of cyberbullying.

Defining cyberbullying in this report

This report measures cyberbullying of teens using six distinct behaviors:

• Offensive name-calling
• Spreading of false rumors about them
• Receiving explicit images they didn’t ask for
• Physical threats
• Constantly being asked where they are, what they’re doing, or who they’re with by someone other than a parent
• Having explicit images of them shared without their consent

Teens who indicate they have personally experienced any of these behaviors online or while using their cellphone are considered targets of cyberbullying in this report. The terms “cyberbullying” and “online harassment” are used interchangeably throughout this report.

Age and gender are related to teens’ cyberbullying experiences, with older teen girls being especially likely to face this abuse

Teens’ experiences with online harassment vary by age. Some 49% of 15- to 17-year-olds have experienced at least one of the six online behaviors, compared with 42% of those ages 13 to 14. While similar shares of older and younger teens report being the target of name-calling or rumor spreading, older teens are more likely than their younger counterparts (22% vs. 11%) to say someone has sent them explicit images they didn’t ask for, an act sometimes referred to as cyberflashing ; had someone share explicit images of them without their consent, in what is also known as revenge porn (8% vs. 4%); or been the target of persistent questioning about their whereabouts and activities (17% vs. 12%).

While there is no gender difference in having ever experienced online abuse, teen girls are more likely than teen boys to say false rumors have been spread about them. But further differences are seen when looking at age and gender together: 15- to 17-year-old girls stand out for being particularly likely to have faced any cyberbullying, compared with younger teen girls and teen boys of any age. Some 54% of girls ages 15 to 17 have experienced at least one of the six cyberbullying behaviors, while 44% of 15- to 17-year-old boys and 41% of boys and girls ages 13 to 14 say the same. These older teen girls are also more likely than younger teen girls and teen boys of any age to report being the target of false rumors and constant monitoring by someone other than a parent.

White, Black and Hispanic teens do not statistically differ in having ever been harassed online, but specific types of online attacks are more prevalent among certain groups. 2 For example, White teens are more likely to report being targeted by false rumors than Black teens. Hispanic teens are more likely than White or Black teens to say they have been asked constantly where they are, what they’re doing or who they’re with by someone other than a parent.

There are also differences by household income when it comes to physical threats. Teens who are from households making less than $30,000 annually are twice as likely as teens living in households making $75,000 or more a year to say they have been physically threatened online (16% vs. 8%).

Beyond those differences related to specific harassing behaviors, older teen girls are particularly likely to say they experience multiple types of online harassment. Some 32% of teen girls have experienced two or more types of online harassment asked about in this survey, while 24% of teen boys say the same. And 15- to 17-year-olds are more likely than 13- to 14-year-olds to have been the target of multiple types of cyberbullying (32% vs. 22%).

These differences are largely driven by older teen girls: 38% of teen girls ages 15 to 17 have experienced at least two of the harassing behaviors asked about in this survey, while roughly a quarter of younger teen girls and teen boys of any age say the same.

Beyond demographic differences, being the target of these behaviors and facing multiple types of these behaviors also vary by the amount of time youth spend online. Teens who say they are online almost constantly are not only more likely to have ever been harassed online than those who report being online less often (53% vs 40%), but are also more likely to have faced multiple forms of online abuse (37% vs. 21%).

These are some of the findings from a Pew Research Center online survey of 1,316 U.S. teens conducted from April 14 to May 4, 2022.

Black teens are about twice as likely as Hispanic or White teens to say they think their race or ethnicity made them a target of online abuse

There are numerous reasons why a teen may be targeted with online abuse. This survey asked youth if they believed their physical appearance, gender, race or ethnicity, sexual orientation or political views were a factor in them being the target of abusive behavior online.

Teens are most likely to say their physical appearance made them the target of cyberbullying. Some 15% of all teens think they were cyberbullied because of their appearance.

About one-in-ten teens say they were targeted because of their gender (10%) or their race or ethnicity (9%). Teens less commonly report being harassed for their sexual orientation or their political views – just 5% each.

Looking at these numbers in a different way, 31% of teens who have personally experienced online harassment or bullying think they were targeted because of their physical appearance. About one-in-five cyberbullied teens say they were targeted due to their gender (22%) or their racial or ethnic background (20%). And roughly one-in-ten affected teens point to their sexual orientation (12%) or their political views (11%) as a reason why they were targeted with harassment or bullying online.

The reasons teens cite for why they were targeted for cyberbullying are largely similar across major demographic groups, but there are a few key differences. For example, teen girls overall are more likely than teen boys to say they have been cyberbullied because of their physical appearance (17% vs. 11%) or their gender (14% vs. 6%). Older teens are also more likely to say they have been harassed online because of their appearance: 17% of 15- to 17-year-olds have experienced cyberbullying because of their physical appearance, compared with 11% of teens ages 13 to 14.

Older teen girls are particularly likely to think they have been harassed online because of their physical appearance: 21% of all 15- to 17-year-old girls think they have been targeted for this reason. This compares with about one-in-ten younger teen girls or teen boys, regardless of age, who think they have been cyberbullied because of their appearance.

A teen’s racial or ethnic background relates to whether they report having been targeted for cyberbullying because of race or ethnicity. Some 21% of Black teens report being made a target because of their race or ethnicity, compared with 11% of Hispanic teens and an even smaller share of White teens (4%).

There are no partisan differences in teens being targeted for their political views, with 5% of those who identify as either Democratic or Republican – including those who lean toward each party – saying they think their political views contributed to them being cyberbullied.

Black or Hispanic teens are more likely than White teens to say cyberbullying is a major problem for people their age

In addition to measuring teens’ own personal experiences with cyberbullying, the survey also sought to understand young people’s views about online harassment more generally.

The vast majority of teens say online harassment and online bullying are a problem for people their age, with 53% saying they are a major problem. Just 6% of teens think they are not a problem.

Certain demographic groups stand out for how much of a problem they say cyberbullying is. Seven-in-ten Black teens and 62% of Hispanic teens say online harassment and bullying are a major problem for people their age, compared with 46% of White teens. Teens from households making under $75,000 a year are similarly inclined to call this type of harassment a major problem, with 62% making this claim, compared with 47% of teens from more affluent homes. Teen girls are also more likely than boys to view cyberbullying as a major problem.

Views also vary by community type. Some 65% of teens living in urban areas say online harassment and bullying are a major problem for people their age, compared with about half of suburban and rural teens.

Partisan differences appear as well: Six-in-ten Democratic teens say this is a major problem for people their age, compared with 44% of Republican teens saying this.

Roughly three-quarters of teens or more think elected officials and social media sites aren’t adequately addressing online abuse

In recent years, there have been several initiatives and programs aimed at curtailing bad behavior online, but teens by and large view some of those behind these efforts – including social media companies and politicians – in a decidedly negative light.

According to teens, parents are doing the best of the five groups asked about in terms of addressing online harassment and online bullying, with 66% of teens saying parents are doing at least a good job, including one-in-five saying it is an excellent job. Roughly four-in-ten teens report thinking teachers (40%) or law enforcement (37%) are doing a good or excellent job addressing online abuse. A quarter of teens say social media sites are doing at least a good job addressing online harassment and cyberbullying, and just 18% say the same of elected officials. In fact, 44% of teens say elected officials have done a poor job addressing online harassment and online bullying.

Teens who have been cyberbullied are more critical of how various groups have addressed online bullying than those who haven’t

Teens who have experienced harassment or bullying online have a very different perspective on how various groups have been handling cyberbullying compared with those who have not faced this type of abuse. Some 53% of teens who have been cyberbullied say elected officials have done a poor job when it comes to addressing online harassment and online bullying, while 38% who have not undergone these experiences say the same (a 15 percentage point gap). Double-digit differences also appear between teens who have and have not been cyberbullied in their views on how law enforcement, social media sites and teachers have addressed online abuse, with teens who have been harassed or bullied online being more critical of each of these three groups. These harassed teens are also twice as likely as their peers who report no abuse to say parents have done a poor job of combatting online harassment and bullying.

Aside from these differences based on personal experience with cyberbullying, only a few differences are seen across major demographic groups. For example, Black teens express greater cynicism than White teens about how law enforcement has fared in this space: 33% of Black teens say law enforcement is doing a poor job when it comes to addressing online harassment and online bullying; 21% of White teens say the same. Hispanic teens (25%) do not differ from either group on this question.

Large majorities of teens believe permanent bans from social media and criminal charges can help reduce harassment on the platforms

Teens have varying views about possible actions that could help to curb the amount of online harassment youth encounter on social media.

While a majority of teens say each of five possible solutions asked about in the survey would at least help a little, certain measures are viewed as being more effective than others.

Teens see the most benefit in criminal charges for users who bully or harass on social media or permanently locking these users out of their account. Half of teens say each of these options would help a lot in reducing the amount of harassment and bullying teens may face on social media sites.

About four-in-ten teens think that if social media companies looked for and deleted posts they think are bullying or harassing (42%) or if users of these platforms were required to use their real names and pictures (37%) it would help a lot in addressing these issues. The idea of forcing people to use their real name while online has long existed and been heavily debated: Proponents see it as a way to hold bad actors accountable and keep online conversations more civil , while detractors believe it would do little to solve harassment and could even  worsen it .

Three-in-ten teens say school districts monitoring students’ social media activity for bullying or harassment would help a lot. Some school districts already use digital monitoring software to help them identify worrying student behavior on school-owned devices , social media and other online platforms . However, these programs have been met with criticism regarding privacy issues , mixed results and whether they do more harm than good .

Having personally experienced online harassment is unrelated to a teen’s view on whether these potential measures would help a lot in reducing these types of adverse experiences on social media. Views do vary widely by a teen’s racial or ethnic background, however.

Black or Hispanic teens are consistently more optimistic than White teens about the effectiveness of each of these measures.

Majorities of both Black and Hispanic teens say permanently locking users out of their account if they bully or harass others or criminal charges for users who bully or harass on social media would help a lot, while about four-in-ten White teens express each view.

In the case of permanent bans, Black teens further stand out from their Hispanic peers: Seven-in-ten say this would help a lot, followed by 59% of Hispanic teens and 42% of White teens.

• It is important to note that there are various ways researchers measure youths’ experiences with cyberbullying and online harassment. As a result, there may be a range of estimates for how many teens report having these experiences. In addition, since the Center last polled on this topic in 2018, there have been changes in how the surveys were conducted and how the questions were asked. For instance, the 2018 survey asked about bullying by listing a number of possible behaviors and asking respondents to “check all that apply.” This survey asked teens to answer “yes” or “no” to each item individually. Due to these changes, direct comparisons cannot be made across the two surveys. ↩
• There were not enough Asian American teen respondents in the sample to be broken out into a separate analysis. As always, their responses are incorporated into the general population figures throughout the report. ↩

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Table of contents, connection, creativity and drama: teen life on social media in 2022, teens, social media and technology 2022, online harassment occurs most often on social media, but strikes in other places, too, about one-in-five americans who have been harassed online say it was because of their religion, some americans who have been targeted by troubling behaviors online wouldn’t call it ‘harassment’, most popular.

About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

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Cyberbullying: what is it and how to stop it, what teens want to know about cyberbullying..

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We brought together UNICEF specialists, international cyberbullying and child protection experts, and teamed up with Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and X to answer some of the most common questions about online bullying and give advice on ways to deal with it. 

What is cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is bullying with the use of digital technologies. It can take place on social media, messaging platforms, gaming platforms and mobile phones. It is repeated behaviour, aimed at scaring, angering or shaming those who are targeted. Examples include:

• spreading lies about or posting embarrassing photos or videos of someone on social media
• sending hurtful, abusive or threatening messages, images or videos via messaging platforms
• impersonating someone and sending mean messages to others on their behalf or through fake accounts.

Face-to-face bullying and cyberbullying can often happen alongside each other. But cyberbullying leaves a digital footprint – a record that can prove useful and provide evidence to help stop the abuse.

If you are worried about your safety or something that has happened to you online, you can seek help by calling your national helpline . If your country does not have a helpline, please urgently speak to an adult you trust or seek professional support from trained and experienced carers.

The top questions on cyberbullying

• Am I being bullied online? How do you tell the difference between a joke and bullying?
• What are the effects of cyberbullying?
• How can cyberbullying affect my mental health?
• Who should I talk to if someone is bullying me online? Why is reporting important?
• I’m experiencing cyberbullying, but I’m afraid to talk to my parents about it. How can I approach them?
• How can I help my friends report a case of cyberbullying especially if they don’t want to do it?
• How do we stop cyberbullying without giving up access to the internet?
• How do I prevent my personal information from being used to manipulate or humiliate me on social media?
• Is there a punishment for cyberbullying?
• Technology companies don’t seem to care about online bullying and harassment. Are they being held responsible?
• Are there any online anti-bullying tools for children or young people?

1. Am I being bullied online? How do you tell the difference between a joke and bullying?

Unicef: .

All friends joke around with each other, but sometimes it’s hard to tell if someone is just having fun or trying to hurt you, especially online. Sometimes they’ll laugh it off with a “just kidding,” or “don’t take it so seriously.” 

But if you feel hurt or think others are laughing at you instead of with you, then the joke has gone too far. If it continues even after you’ve asked the person to stop and you are still feeling upset about it, then this could be bullying.

And when the bullying takes place online, it can result in unwanted attention from a wide range of people including strangers. Wherever it may happen, if you are not happy about it, you should not have to stand for it.

Call it what you will – if you feel bad and it doesn’t stop, then it’s worth getting help. Stopping cyberbullying is not just about calling out bullies, it’s also about recognizing that everyone deserves respect – online and in real life.

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2. What are the effects of cyberbullying?

When bullying happens online it can feel as if you’re being attacked everywhere, even inside your own home. It can seem like there’s no escape. The effects can last a long time and affect a person in many ways:

• Mentally – feeling upset, embarrassed, stupid, even afraid or angry 
• Emotionally – feeling ashamed or losing interest in the things you love
• Physically – tired (loss of sleep), or experiencing symptoms like stomach aches and headaches 

The feeling of being laughed at or harassed by others, can prevent people from speaking up or trying to deal with the problem. In extreme cases, cyberbullying can even lead to people taking their own lives. 

Cyberbullying can affect us in many ways. But these can be overcome and people can regain their confidence and health.

3. How can cyberbullying affect my mental health?

When you experience cyberbullying you might start to feel ashamed, nervous, anxious and insecure about what people say or think about you. This can lead to withdrawing from friends and family, negative thoughts and self-talk, feeling guilty about things you did or did not do, or feeling that you are being judged negatively. Feeling lonely, overwhelmed, frequent headaches, nausea or stomachaches are also common.

You can lose your motivation to do the things that you usually enjoy doing and feel isolated from the people you love and trust. This can perpetuate negative feelings and thoughts which can adversely affect your mental health and well-being.

Skipping school is another common effect of cyberbullying and can affect the mental health of young people who turn to substances like alcohol and drugs or violent behaviour to deal with their psychological and physical pain. Talking to a friend, family member or school counsellor you trust can be a first step to getting help.

The effects of cyberbullying on mental health can vary depending on the medium through which it happens. For example, bullying via text messaging or through pictures or videos on social media platforms has proven to be very harmful for adolescents.   

Cyberbullying opens the door to 24-hour harassment and can be very damaging. That’s why we offer in-app mental health and well-being support through our feature “ Here For You .” This Snapchat portal provides resources on mental health, grief, bullying, harassment, anxiety, eating disorders, depression, stress, and suicidal thoughts. It was developed in partnership with leading international advocacy and mental health organizations to help Snapchatters contend with some very real issues. Still, our foundational piece of guidance for any well-being issue is to talk to someone: a friend, parent, caregiver, trusted adult – anyone whom you trust to listen.

At Snap, nothing is more important than the safety and well-being of our community.  Reach out and tell us how we might be able to help.    

Cyberbullying has the potential of having a negative impact on people's mental health. It's why it's so important that you reach out to someone you trust – whether it's a parent, teacher, friend or caregiver – and let them know what you're going through so that they can help you.

The well-being of our community matters hugely to us, and we recognise that cyberbullying can have an adverse impact on people's mental health. As well as taking strong action against content or behaviour that seeks to shame, bully or harass members of our community, we have partnered with experts to develop our well-being guide to help people learn more about improving their well-being, and keep TikTok a safe and inclusive home for our community.

4. Who should I talk to if someone is bullying me online? Why is reporting important?

If you think you’re being bullied, the first step is to seek help from someone you trust such as your parents, a close family member or another trusted adult.

In your school you can reach out to a counsellor, the sports coach or your favourite teacher – either online or in person.

And if you are not comfortable talking to someone you know, search for a helpline in your country to talk to a professional counsellor.

If the bullying is happening on a social platform, consider blocking the bully and formally reporting their behaviour on the platform itself. Social media companies are obligated to keep their users safe.

For bullying to stop, it needs to be identified and reporting it is key.

It can be helpful to collect evidence – text messages and screen shots of social media posts – to show what’s been going on.

For bullying to stop, it needs to be identified and reporting it is key. It can also help to show the bully that their behaviour is unacceptable.

If you are in immediate danger, then you should contact the police or emergency services in your country.

Facebook/Instagram

At Meta, we take bullying and harassment situations seriously. Bullying and harassment is a unique challenge and one of the most complex issues to address because context is critical. We work hard to enforce against this content while also equipping our community with tools to protect themselves in ways that work best for them.

If you're experiencing bullying online, we encourage you to talk to a parent, teacher or someone else you can trust – you have a right to be safe and supported.

We also make it easy to report bullying directly within Facebook or Instagram. You can send our team a report from a post, comment, story or direct message (DM). Your report is anonymous; the account you reported won’t see who reported them. We have a team who reviews these reports 24/7 around the world in 70+ languages and we will remove anything that violates our policies.

Meta’s Family Center offers resources, insights and expert guidance to help parents, guardians and trusted adults support their teen’s online experiences across our technologies. Additionally, the Meta Safety Center provides bullying prevention resources that can help teens seeking support for issues related to bullying like what to do if you or a friend is being bullied or if you've been called a bully. For educators , we have expert-backed tips on how to proactively handle and work to implement bullying prevention strategies

Bullying is something no one should have to experience, either in person or online. 

Snapchat’s Community Guidelines clearly and explicitly prohibit bullying, intimidation, and harassment of any kind. We don’t want it on the platform; it’s not in keeping with why Snapchat was created and designed. Learn more here .

Letting us know when you experience or witness someone breaking our rules allows us to take action, which helps to protect you and other members of our community. In addition to reporting violating content or behaviour to Snapchat, speak with a friend, parent, caregiver, or other trusted adult. Our goal is for everyone to stay safe and have fun!

Everyone has the right to feel safe and to be treated with respect and dignity. Bullying and harassment are incompatible with the inclusive environment we aim to foster on TikTok. 

If you ever feel someone is bullying you or otherwise being inappropriate, reach out to someone you trust - for example, a parent, a teacher or a caregiver – who can provide support.

We deploy both technology and thousands of safety professionals to help keep bullying off TikTok. We also encourage our community members to make use of the easy in-app reporting tools to alert us if they or someone they know has experienced bullying. You can report videos, comments, accounts and direct messages so that we can take appropriate action and help keep you safe. Reports are always confidential. 

You can find out more in our Bullying Prevention guide for teens, caregivers, and educators on how to identify and prevent bullying, and provide support.

Being the target of bullying online is not easy to deal with. If you are being cyberbullied, the most important thing to do is to ensure you are safe. It’s essential to have someone to talk to about what you are going through. This may be a teacher, another trusted adult, or a parent. Talk to your parents and friends about what to do if you or a friend are being cyberbullied.

We encourage people to report accounts to us that may break our  rules . You can do this on our  Help Center  or through the in-post reporting mechanism by clicking on the “Report a post” option.

Last updated: January 2022.

5. I’m experiencing cyberbullying, but I’m afraid to talk to my parents about it. How can I approach them?

If you are experiencing cyberbullying, speaking to a trusted adult – someone you feel safe talking to – is one of the most important first steps you can take.

Talking to parents isn’t easy for everyone. But there are things you can do to help the conversation. Choose a time to talk when you know you have their full attention. Explain how serious the problem is for you. Remember, they might not be as familiar with technology as you are, so you might need to help them to understand what’s happening.

They might not have instant answers for you, but they are likely to want to help and together you can find a solution. Two heads are always better than one! If you are still unsure about what to do, consider reaching out to other trusted people . There are often more people who care about you and are willing to help than you might think!

6. How can I help my friends report a case of cyberbullying especially if they don’t want to do it?

Anyone can become a victim of cyberbullying. If you see this happening to someone you know, try to offer support.

It is important to listen to your friend. Why don’t they want to report being cyberbullied? How are they feeling? Let them know that they don’t have to formally report anything, but it’s crucial to talk to someone who might be able to help.

Anyone can become a victim of cyberbullying.

Remember, your friend may be feeling fragile. Be kind to them. Help them think through what they might say and to whom. Offer to go with them if they decide to report. Most importantly, remind them that you’re there for them and you want to help.

If your friend still does not want to report the incident, then support them in finding a trusted adult who can help them deal with the situation. Remember that in certain situations the consequences of cyberbullying can be life threatening.

Doing nothing can leave the person feeling that everyone is against them or that nobody cares. Your words can make a difference.

We know that it can be hard to report bullying, but everyone deserves to feel safe online. If your friend is experiencing cyberbullying, encourage them to talk to a parent, a teacher or an adult they trust.

Reporting content or accounts to Facebook or Instagram is anonymous and can help us better keep our platforms safe. Bullying and harassment are highly personal by nature, so in many instances, we need a person to report this behaviour to us before we can identify or remove it. You can report something you experience yourself, but it’s also just as easy to submit a report for one of your friends. You can find more information on how to report something on our How to Report Bullying section  at the Meta Safety Center.

You and your friends may be reluctant to report to a technology platform for any number of reasons, but it’s important to know that reporting on Snapchat is confidential and easy. And remember: You can report Snaps (photos and videos), Chats (messages) and accounts – about your own experiences or on behalf of someone else. 

In the more public places of Snapchat, like Stories and Spotlight, simply press and hold on the piece of content and a card with “Report Tile” (as one option) will appear in red. Click that link and our reporting menu will appear. Bullying and harassment are among the first categories in the reporting list. Just follow the prompts and provide as much information as you can about the incident. We appreciate you doing your part to help us protect the Snapchat community!  

If you believe another member of the TikTok community is being bullied or harassed, there are ways you can provide support. For example, you can make a confidential report on TikTok so that we take appropriate action and help keep your friend safe. 

If you know the person, consider checking in with them and encourage them to read our Bullying Prevention guide so they can find out more information about how to identify bullying behaviour and take action.

If your friends are experiencing cyberbullying, encourage them to talk to a parent, a teacher or an adult they trust.

If a friend of yours does not want to report their experience, you can submit a bystander report  on their behalf. This can include reports of private information , non -consensual nudity  or impersonation.

7. How do we stop cyberbullying without giving up access to the Internet?

Being online has so many benefits. However, like many things in life, it comes with risks that you need to protect against.

If you experience cyberbullying, you may want to delete certain apps or stay offline for a while to give yourself time to recover. But getting off the Internet is not a long-term solution. You did nothing wrong, so why should you be disadvantaged? It may even send the bullies the wrong signal — encouraging their unacceptable behaviour. 

We need to be thoughtful about what we share or say that may hurt others.

We all want cyberbullying to stop, which is one of the reasons reporting cyberbullying is so important. But creating the Internet we want goes beyond calling out bullying. We need to be thoughtful about what we share or say that may hurt others. We need to be kind to one another online and in real life. It's up to all of us!

We’re continuously developing new technologies  to encourage positive interactions and take action on harmful content, and launching new tools to help people have more control over their experience. Here are some tools you can use:

• Comment warnings: When someone writes a caption or a comment that our AI detects as potentially offensive or intended to harass, we will show them an alert that asks them to pause and reflect on whether they would like to edit their language before it’s posted.
• Comment and message controls: Comments with common offensive words, phrases or emojis, and abusive messages or messages from strangers can be automatically hidden or filtered out with the ‘ Hidden words ’ setting, which is defaulted on for all people. If you want an even more personalized experience, you can create a custom list of emojis, words or phrases you don’t want to see, and comments containing these terms won’t appear under your posts and messages will be sent to a filtered inbox. All Instagram accounts have the option to switch off DMs from people they don’t follow. Messenger also gives you the option to ignore a conversation and automatically move it out of your inbox, without having to block the sender.
• Block and Mute: You can always  block  or  mute  an account that is bullying you, and that account will not be notified. When you block someone on Instagram, you’ll also have the option to block other accounts they may have or create, making it more difficult for them to interact with you.
• Restrict: With ‘Restrict,’ you can protect your account from unwanted interactions in a quieter, or more subtle way. Once Restrict is enabled, comments on your posts from a person you have restricted will only be visible to that person. You can choose to view the comment by tapping “See Comment”; approve the comment so everyone can see it; delete it; or ignore it. You won’t receive any notifications for comments from a restricted account.
• Limits:  You can automatically hide comments and DM requests from people who don’t follow you, or who only recently followed you. If you’re going through an influx of unwanted comments or messages — or think you may be about to — you can turn on Limits and avoid it.

Our priority is to foster a welcoming and safe environment where people feel free to express themselves authentically. Our Community Guidelines make clear that we do not tolerate members of our community being shamed, bullied or harassed. 

We use a combination of technology and moderation teams to help us identify and remove abusive content or behaviour from our platform. 

We also provide our community with an extensive range of tools to help them better control their experience – whether it's control over exactly who can view and interact with your content or filtering tools to help you stay in control of comments. You can find out about them on our Safety Centre . 

Since hundreds of millions of people share ideas on X every day, it’s no surprise that we don’t all agree with each other all the time. That’s one of the benefits of a public conversation in that we can all learn from respectful disagreements and discussions.

But sometimes, after you’ve listened to someone for a while, you may not want to hear them anymore. Their right to express themselves doesn’t mean you’re required to listen. If you see or receive a reply you don’t like, unfollow  and end any communication with that account. If the behaviour continues, it is recommended that you block the account . If you continue receiving unwanted, targeted and continuous replies on X, consider reporting the behaviour to X here .

We are also working proactively to protect people using our service through a combination of human review and technology. Learn more about how to feel safer on X here .

8. How do I prevent my personal information from being used to manipulate or humiliate me on social media?

Think twice before posting or sharing anything on digital platforms – it may be online forever and could be used to harm you later. Don’t give out personal details such as your address, telephone number or the name of your school.

Learn about the privacy settings of your favourite social media apps. Here are some actions you can take on many of them: 

• You can decide who can see your profile, send you direct messages or comment on your posts by adjusting your account privacy settings. 
• You can report hurtful comments, messages, photos and videos and request they be removed.
• Besides ‘unfriending’, you can completely block people to stop them from seeing your profile or contacting you.
• You can also choose to have comments by certain people to appear only to them without completely blocking them.
• You can delete posts on your profile or hide them from specific people. 

On most of your favourite social media, people aren't notified when you block, restrict or report them.

9. Is there a punishment for cyberbullying?

Most schools take bullying seriously and will take action against it. If you are being cyberbullied by other students, report it to your school.

People who are victims of any form of violence, including bullying and cyberbullying, have a right to justice and to have the offender held accountable.

Laws against bullying, particularly on cyberbullying, are relatively new and still do not exist everywhere. This is why many countries rely on other relevant laws, such as ones against harassment, to punish cyberbullies.

In countries that have specific laws on cyberbullying, online behaviour that deliberately causes serious emotional distress is seen as criminal activity. In some of these countries, victims of cyberbullying can seek protection, prohibit communication from a specified person and restrict the use of electronic devices used by that person for cyberbullying, temporarily or permanently.

However, it is important to remember that punishment is not always the most effective way to change the behaviour of bullies. Sometimes, focusing on repairing the harm and mending the relationship can be better.

On Facebook, we have a set of  Community Standards , and on Instagram, we have  Community Guidelines . We take action when we are aware of content that violates these policies, like in the case of bullying or harassment, and we are constantly improving our detection tools so we can find this content faster.

Bullying and harassment can happen in many places and come in many different forms from making threats and releasing personally identifiable information to sending threatening messages and making unwanted malicious contact. We do not tolerate this kind of behavior because it prevents people from feeling safe and respected on our apps.

Making sure people don’t see hateful or harassing content in direct messages can be challenging, given they’re private conversations, but we are taking steps to take tougher action when we become aware of people breaking our rules. If someone continues to send violating messages, we will disable their account. We’ll also disable new accounts created to get around our messaging restrictions and will continue to disable accounts we find that are created purely to send harmful messages.

On Snapchat, reports of cyberbullying are reviewed by Snap’s dedicated Trust & Safety teams, which operate around the clock and around the globe. Individuals found to be involved in cyberbullying may be given a warning, their accounts might be suspended or their accounts could be shut down completely. 

We recommend leaving any group chat where bullying or any unwelcome behaviour is taking place and please report the behaviour and/or the account to us.  

Our Community Guidelines define a set of norms and common code of conduct for TikTok and they provide guidance on what is and is not allowed to make a welcoming space for everyone. We make it clear that we do not tolerate members of our community being shamed, bullied or harassed. We take action against any such content and accounts, including removal.

We strongly enforce our rules to ensure all people can participate in the public conversation freely and safely. These rules specifically cover a number of areas including topics such as:

• Child sexual exploitation
• Abuse/harassment
• Hateful conduct
• Suicide or self-harm
• Sharing of sensitive media, including graphic violence and adult content

As part of these rules, we take a number of different enforcement actions when content is in violation. When we take enforcement actions, we may do so either on a specific piece of content (e.g., an individual post or Direct Message) or on an account.

You can find more on our enforcement actions here .

10. Technology companies don’t seem to care about online bullying and harassment. Are they being held responsible?

Technology companies are increasingly paying attention to the issue of online bullying.

Many of them are introducing ways to address it and better protect their users with new tools, guidance and ways to report online abuse.

But it is true that more is needed. Many young people experience cyberbullying every day. Some face extreme forms of online abuse. Some have taken their own lives as a result.

Technology companies have a responsibility to protect their users especially children and young people.

It is up to all of us to hold them accountable when they’re not living up to these responsibilities.

11. Are there any online anti-bullying tools for children or young people?

Each social platform offers different tools (see available ones below) that allow you to restrict who can comment on or view your posts or who can connect automatically as a friend, and to report cases of bullying. Many of them involve simple steps to block, mute or report cyberbullying. We encourage you to explore them.

Social media companies also provide educational tools and guidance for children, parents and teachers to learn about risks and ways to stay safe online.

Also, the first line of defense against cyberbullying could be you. Think about where cyberbullying happens in your community and ways you can help – by raising your voice, calling out bullies, reaching out to trusted adults or by creating awareness of the issue. Even a simple act of kindness can go a long way.

The first line of defense against cyberbullying could be you.

If you are worried about your safety or something that has happened to you online, urgently speak to an adult you trust. Many countries have a special helpline you can call for free and talk to someone anonymously. Visit  United for Global Mental Health to find help in your country.

We have a number of anti-bullying tools across Facebook and Instagram:

• You can block people, including any existing and new accounts they might create.
• You can  mute  an account and that account will not be notified.
• You can limit unwanted interactions for a period of time by automatically hiding comments and message requests from people who don’t follow you, or who only recently followed you.
• You can use ‘ Restrict ’ to discreetly protect your account without that person being notified.
• You can  moderate comments  on your own posts.
• You can  modify your settings  so that only people you follow can send you a direct message.
• We will notify someone when they’re about to post something that might cross the line, encouraging them to reconsider.
• We automatically filter out comments and message requests that don’t go against our Community Guidelines but may be considered inappropriate or offensive. You can also create your own custom list of emojis, words or phrases that you don’t want to see.

For more tips and ideas, visit Instagram’s Safety page and Facebook’s Bullying Prevention Hub . We also offer resources, insights and expert guidance for parents and guardians on our Family Center .

We want teens and young adults to be aware of the blocking and removal functions on Snapchat. Clicking on the person’s avatar will bring up a three-dot menu in the upper right-hand corner. Opening that menu offers the option of “Manage Friendship,” which, in turn, offers the ability to Report, Block or Remove the person as a friend. Know that if you block someone, they will be told that their Snaps and Chats to you will be delivered once the relationship is restored.  

It’s also a good idea to check privacy settings to ensure they continue to be set to the default setting of “Friends Only.” This way, only people you’ve added as Friends can send you Snaps and Chats.  

We also recommend reviewing your Friends’ list from time to time to ensure it includes those people you still want to be friends with on Snapchat.  

Alongside the work that our safety teams do to help keep bullying and harassment off our platform, we provide an extensive range of tools to help you control your TikTok experience. You can find these in full on our Safety Centre . Here are a few highlights:

• You can restrict who comments on your videos to no one, just friends or everyone (for those aged under 16, the everyone setting is not available)
• You can filter all comments or those with specific keywords that you choose. By default, spam and offensive comments are hidden from users when we detect them.
• You can delete or report multiple comments at once, and you can block accounts that post bullying or other negative comments in bulk too, up to 100 at a time.
• A comment prompt asks people to reconsider posting a comment that may be inappropriate or unkind, reminding them of our Community Guidelines and allowing them to edit their comments before sharing.

We want everybody to be safe on X. We continue to launch and improve tools for people to feel safer, be in control and manage their digital footprint. Here are some safety tools anyone on X can use: 

• Select who can reply to your posts  – either everyone, only people you follow or only people you mention
• Mute – removing an account's posts from your timeline without unfollowing or blocking that account
• Block – restricting specific accounts from contacting you, seeing your posts, and following you
• Report – filing a report about abusive behaviour
• Safety mode  – a feature that temporarily blocks accounts for using potentially harmful language or sending repetitive and uninvited replies or mentions.

With special thanks to:  Meta, Snap, TikTok and X (formerly known as Twitter). Last updated: February 2024.

To anyone who has ever been bullied online: You are not alone

TikTok stars Charli and Dixie D'Amelio open up about their personal experience of being bullied and share tips on how to make the internet a better place.

Reporting abuse and safety resources

Facebook instagram kik snapchat, tiktok tumblr wechat whatsapp youtube x, take action to stop cyberbullying.

The consequences of cyberbullying can be devastating. Youth can take action to stop it

5 ways to support your mental health online

Tips on how to look after yourself and others

Contribute to Kindly - help stop cyberbullying

Kindly - A UNICEF initiative to end cyberbullying — one message at a time

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Tips and resources to help you support your child and yourself

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Cyberbullying: Everything You Need to Know

• Cyberbullying
• How to Respond

Cyberbullying is the act of intentionally and consistently mistreating or harassing someone through the use of electronic devices or other forms of electronic communication (like social media platforms).

Because cyberbullying mainly affects children and adolescents, many brush it off as a part of growing up. However, cyberbullying can have dire mental and emotional consequences if left unaddressed.

This article discusses cyberbullying, its adverse effects, and what can be done about it.

FangXiaNuo / Getty Images

Cyberbullying Statistics and State Laws

The rise of digital communication methods has paved the way for a new type of bullying to form, one that takes place outside of the schoolyard. Cyberbullying follows kids home, making it much more difficult to ignore or cope.

Statistics 

As many as 15% of young people between 12 and 18 have been cyberbullied at some point. However, over 25% of children between 13 and 15 were cyberbullied in one year alone.

About 6.2% of people admitted that they’ve engaged in cyberbullying at some point in the last year. The age at which a person is most likely to cyberbully one of their peers is 13.

Those subject to online bullying are twice as likely to self-harm or attempt suicide . The percentage is much higher in young people who identify as LGBTQ, at 56%.

Cyberbullying by Sex and Sexual Orientation

Cyberbullying statistics differ among various groups, including:

• Girls and boys reported similar numbers when asked if they have been cyberbullied, at 23.7% and 21.9%, respectively.
• LGBTQ adolescents report cyberbullying at higher rates, at 31.7%. Up to 56% of young people who identify as LGBTQ have experienced cyberbullying.
• Transgender teens were the most likely to be cyberbullied, at a significantly high rate of 35.4%.

State Laws 

The laws surrounding cyberbullying vary from state to state. However, all 50 states have developed and implemented specific policies or laws to protect children from being cyberbullied in and out of the classroom.

The laws were put into place so that students who are being cyberbullied at school can have access to support systems, and those who are being cyberbullied at home have a way to report the incidents.

Legal policies or programs developed to help stop cyberbullying include:

• Bullying prevention programs
• Cyberbullying education courses for teachers
• Procedures designed to investigate instances of cyberbullying
• Support systems for children who have been subject to cyberbullying 

Are There Federal Laws Against Cyberbullying?

There are no federal laws or policies that protect people from cyberbullying. However, federal involvement may occur if the bullying overlaps with harassment. Federal law will get involved if the bullying concerns a person’s race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, disability, or religion.

Examples of Cyberbullying 

There are several types of bullying that can occur online, and they all look different.

Harassment can include comments, text messages, or threatening emails designed to make the cyberbullied person feel scared, embarrassed, or ashamed of themselves.

Other forms of harassment include:

• Using group chats as a way to gang up on one person
• Making derogatory comments about a person based on their race, gender, sexual orientation, economic status, or other characteristics
• Posting mean or untrue things on social media sites, such as Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, as a way to publicly hurt the person experiencing the cyberbullying  

Impersonation

A person may try to pretend to be the person they are cyberbullying to attempt to embarrass, shame, or hurt them publicly. Some examples of this include:

• Hacking into someone’s online profile and changing any part of it, whether it be a photo or their "About Me" portion, to something that is either harmful or inappropriate
• Catfishing, which is when a person creates a fake persona to trick someone into a relationship with them as a joke or for their own personal gain
• Making a fake profile using the screen name of their target to post inappropriate or rude remarks on other people’s pages

Other Examples

Not all forms of cyberbullying are the same, and cyberbullies use other tactics to ensure that their target feels as bad as possible. Some tactics include:

• Taking nude or otherwise degrading photos of a person without their consent
• Sharing or posting nude pictures with a wide audience to embarrass the person they are cyberbullying
• Sharing personal information about a person on a public website that could cause them to feel unsafe
• Physically bullying someone in school and getting someone else to record it so that it can be watched and passed around later
• Circulating rumors about a person

How to Know When a Joke Turns Into Cyberbullying

People may often try to downplay cyberbullying by saying it was just a joke. However, any incident that continues to make a person feel shame, hurt, or blatantly disrespected is not a joke and should be addressed. People who engage in cyberbullying tactics know that they’ve crossed these boundaries, from being playful to being harmful.

Effects and Consequences of Cyberbullying 

Research shows many negative effects of cyberbullying, some of which can lead to severe mental health issues. Cyberbullied people are twice as likely to experience suicidal thoughts, actions, or behaviors and engage in self-harm as those who are not.

Other negative health consequences of cyberbullying are:

• Stomach pain and digestive issues
• Sleep disturbances
• Difficulties with academics
• Violent behaviors
• High levels of stress
• Inability to feel safe
• Feelings of loneliness and isolation
• Feelings of powerlessness and hopelessness

If You’ve Been Cyberbullied 

Being on the receiving end of cyberbullying is hard to cope with. It can feel like you have nowhere to turn and no escape. However, some things can be done to help overcome cyberbullying experiences.

Advice for Preteens and Teenagers

The best thing you can do if you’re being cyberbullied is tell an adult you trust. It may be challenging to start the conversation because you may feel ashamed or embarrassed. However, if it is not addressed, it can get worse.

Other ways you can cope with cyberbullying include:

• Walk away : Walking away online involves ignoring the bullies, stepping back from your computer or phone, and finding something you enjoy doing to distract yourself from the bullying.
• Don’t retaliate : You may want to defend yourself at the time. But engaging with the bullies can make matters worse.
• Keep evidence : Save all copies of the cyberbullying, whether it be posts, texts, or emails, and keep them if the bullying escalates and you need to report them.
• Report : Social media sites take harassment seriously, and reporting them to site administrators may block the bully from using the site.
• Block : You can block your bully from contacting you on social media platforms and through text messages.

In some cases, therapy may be a good option to help cope with the aftermath of cyberbullying.

Advice for Parents

As a parent, watching your child experience cyberbullying can be difficult. To help in the right ways, you can:

• Offer support and comfort : Listening to your child explain what's happening can be helpful. If you've experienced bullying as a child, sharing that experience may provide some perspective on how it can be overcome and that the feelings don't last forever.
• Make sure they know they are not at fault : Whatever the bully uses to target your child can make them feel like something is wrong with them. Offer praise to your child for speaking up and reassure them that it's not their fault.
• Contact the school : Schools have policies to protect children from bullying, but to help, you have to inform school officials.
• Keep records : Ask your child for all the records of the bullying and keep a copy for yourself. This evidence will be helpful to have if the bullying escalates and further action needs to be taken.
• Try to get them help : In many cases, cyberbullying can lead to mental stress and sometimes mental health disorders. Getting your child a therapist gives them a safe place to work through their experience.

In the Workplace 

Although cyberbullying more often affects children and adolescents, it can also happen to adults in the workplace. If you are dealing with cyberbullying at your workplace, you can:

• Let your bully know how what they said affected you and that you expect it to stop.
• Keep copies of any harassment that goes on in the workplace.
• Report your cyberbully to your human resources (HR) department.
• Report your cyberbully to law enforcement if you are being threatened.
• Close off all personal communication pathways with your cyberbully.
• Maintain a professional attitude at work regardless of what is being said or done.
• Seek out support through friends, family, or professional help.

Effective Action Against Cyberbullying

If cyberbullying continues, actions will have to be taken to get it to stop, such as:

• Talking to a school official : Talking to someone at school may be difficult, but once you do, you may be grateful that you have some support. Schools have policies to address cyberbullying.
• Confide in parents or trusted friends : Discuss your experience with your parents or others you trust. Having support on your side will make you feel less alone.
• Report it on social media : Social media sites have strict rules on the types of interactions and content sharing allowed. Report your aggressor to the site to get them banned and eliminate their ability to contact you.
• Block the bully : Phones, computers, and social media platforms contain options to block correspondence from others. Use these blocking tools to help free yourself from cyberbullying.

Help Is Available

If you or someone you know are having suicidal thoughts, dial  988  to contact the  988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline  and connect with a trained counselor. To find mental health resources in your area, contact the  Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline  at  800-662-4357  for information.

Cyberbullying occurs over electronic communication methods like cell phones, computers, social media, and other online platforms. While anyone can be subject to cyberbullying, it is most likely to occur between the ages of 12 and 18.

Cyberbullying can be severe and lead to serious health issues, such as new or worsened mental health disorders, sleep issues, or thoughts of suicide or self-harm. There are laws to prevent cyberbullying, so it's essential to report it when it happens. Coping strategies include stepping away from electronics, blocking bullies, and getting.

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By Angelica Bottaro Angelica Bottaro is a professional freelance writer with over 5 years of experience. She has been educated in both psychology and journalism, and her dual education has given her the research and writing skills needed to deliver sound and engaging content in the health space.

Teens, Screens, and Social Connection pp 79–101 Cite as

Social Media and Cyberbullying

• Jenna Margolis 3 &
• Dinara Amanbekova 3  
• First Online: 16 March 2023

1052 Accesses

1 Citations

All over the world, teens are constantly engaged on social media: refreshing their Facebook feeds, liking a post on Instagram, sending a Snapchat message to their friends. In the United States, 95% of adolescents now have a smartphone and as mobile-optimized social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, and others continue to grow in popularity, adolescents are spending more of their time navigating a complex virtual world. With this massive increase in virtual social participation comes the benefit of accessing information, gaining knowledge, and connecting with others, and the negative cost of social conflict, primarily in the form of cyberbullying. Studies demonstrate that cyberbullying, or the intentional harm of others through computers, cellphones, and other electronic devices, is becoming increasingly pervasive among youth. This impacts both the victim and the perpetrator. Being a victim of cyberbullying has various negative health implications, including increased rates of depression, suicidality, and substance use in youth.

This chapter aims to define cyberbullying in the context of social media and explore the wide-ranging impact that social media cyberbullying has on youth mental health. Recommendations for how parents, schools, and clinicians can help children navigate social media safely and approach cyberbullying are provided.

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The Psychology of Cyberbullying

Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of The Anxiety Workbook and founder of the website About Social Anxiety. She has a Master's degree in clinical psychology.

Rachel Goldman, PhD FTOS, is a licensed psychologist, clinical assistant professor, speaker, wellness expert specializing in eating behaviors, stress management, and health behavior change.

Adah Chung is a fact checker, writer, researcher, and occupational therapist. 

Verywell / Nez Riaz

Forms of Cyberbullying

Why do people cyberbully.

• How Cyberbullying Is Different

Effects of Cyberbullying

Characteristics of victims, how to deal with a cyber bully, what if you are the cyberbully.

Cyberbullying refers to the use of digital technology to cause harm to other people. This typically involves the use of the Internet , but may also take place through mobile phones (e.g., text-based bullying). Social media is one of the primary channels through which cyberbullying takes place, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and more.

Cyberbullying has been deemed a public health problem, with the prevalence of cyberbullying doubling from 2007 to 2019, and 59% of teens in the United States reporting that they have been bullied or harassed online.

In general, cyberbullying is a recent issue with increasing numbers of people using the Internet. Much of the focus of research is on how cyberbullying affects the victim, without a lot of focus on how to cope with cyberbullying, how to reduce cyberbullying, or what to do if you are a cyberbully yourself.

Cyberbullies can appear through social media, inside wellness apps, in public forums, during gaming, and more. However, more personal cyberbullies will operate through email, texting, or direct messaging.

It has been argued that cyberbullying is defined in light of five main criteria: intention to harm, repetition, power imbalance, anonymity, and publicity.

Intention to harm

Cyberbullies generally have the intention to cause harm when they engage in online bullying. However, bullying can still take place without intention if a victim reasonably perceives actions to be harmful.

Repetition is a hallmark characteristic of cyberbullying. This refers to repeated actions on the part of the bully, but also the fact that material that is shared on the Internet could last much longer than the original post through sharing and re-posting by others. This is especially true in the case of sharing personal information or photos as a form of cyberbullying.

Power Imbalance

One of the other hallmark traits of bullying is that victims usually experience a power imbalance with their bully. The power differential can be due to the bully having more status, wealth, popularity, talent, etc. Cyberbullying can be severe and relentless, and the victim often has little control to stop the bullying.

Some cyberbullies make use of anonymity to hide behind their computer screen when they engage in bullying. In this case, there is no need for a power imbalance in the relationship between the bully and the victim, making it possible for anyone to be a bully. Anonymity allows the bully to engage in an increased degree of cruelty that would not occur if their identity was known.

Finally, another trait of cyberbullying is that it sometimes involves the use of publicity. This is especially true for those who choose to publicly humiliate or shame someone which can be especially impactful if it takes place in a public forum with the potential to reach a large audience.

What are the various forms of cyberbullying? Below are the types of cyberbullying that exist.

• Flaming : Flaming (or roasting) refers to using inflammatory language and hurling insults at someone or broadcasting offensive messages about them in the hopes of eliciting a reaction. One example would be Donald Trump's use of the phrases "Crooked Hilary" or "Sleepy Joe Biden."
• Outing : Outing involves sharing personal or embarrassing information about someone on the Internet. This type of cyberbullying usually takes place on a larger scale rather than one-to-one or in a smaller group.
• Trolling : Trolling refers to posting content or comments with the goal of causing chaos and division. In other words, a troll will say something derogatory or offensive about a person or group, with the sole intention of getting people riled up. This type of cyberbully enjoys creating chaos and then sitting back and watching what happens.
• Name Calling : Name-calling involves using offensive language to refer to other people. Reports show that 42% of teens said they had been called offensive names through their mobile phone or on the Internet.
• Spreading False Rumors : Cyberbullies who spread false rumors make up stories about individuals and then spread these false truths online. In the same report, 32% of teens said that someone had spread false rumors about them on the Internet.
• Sending Explicit Images or Messages : Cyberbullies may also send explicit images or messages without the consent of the victim.
• Cyber Stalking/Harassing/Physical Threats : Some cyberbullies will repeatedly target the same people through cyberstalking, cyber harassment, or physical threats. In that same report, 16% of teens reported having been the victim of physical threats on the Internet.

Why do people engage in cyberbullying? There can be numerous different factors that lead to someone becoming a cyberbully.

Mental Health Issues

Cyberbullies may be living with mental health issues that relate to their bullying or make it worse. Examples include problems with behavioral issues such as aggression , hyperactivity, or impulsivity , as well as substance abuse .

In addition, those with personality features resembling the " dark tetrad " of psychopathy , Machiavellianism (deceptive, manipulative), sadism (deriving pleasure from harming others), and narcissism may be at risk for cyberbullying. These individuals tend to violate social norms, have a low level of empathy for other people, and may bully others as a way to increase their sense of power or worth.

Victims of Bullying

Cyberbullies sometimes become bullies after having experienced cyberbullying themselves. In this way, they may be looking to feel more in control or lash out after feeling victimized and being unable to retaliate to the original bully. It may feel like a dichotomous world of "bully or be bullied," not having the insight that there is another pathway.

Result of Conflicts or Breakups

Cyberbullying that takes place between two people who were previously friends or in a relationship may be triggered by conflicts in the friendship or the breakdown of the relationship . In this way, this type of cyberbullying might be viewed as driven by anger, jealousy, or revenge.

Boredom or Trying Out a New Persona

It has been suggested that some people engage in cyberbullying due to boredom or the desire to try out a new persona on the Internet. This is more likely among young adults or teenagers who are still developing their sense of identity. This type of cyberbullying would typically be anonymous.

Loneliness or Isolation

Cyberbullies may also be people who struggle with feeling isolated or lonely in society. If they feel ignored by others, they may lash out as a way to get attention and feel better, or vent their rage at society.

Why People Become Cyberbullies

While some people are bullies both in real life and online, there are others who only become bullies in the digital space. Why is this the case? Why would someone bully others online when they would never do that in their everyday life? There are multiple possible explanations for this behavior.

Non-Confrontational & Anonymous

The first reason why people may become bullies online when they would not bully in their everyday life has to do with the nature of the Internet. A person can bully others online and remain completely anonymous. Clearly, this is not possible with traditional bullying.

In addition, online bullying can be done in a non-confrontational way, particularly if it is anonymous. This means that a cyberbully may skip about the Internet leaving nasty comments and not stick around to hear the replies.

No Need for Popularity or Physical Dominance

In order to be a bully in real life, you typically need to have some advantage over your victim. This might mean that you are physically larger than them. It might mean that you are more popular than them. Or, it might mean that you have some sort of power imbalance over them.

In contrast, anyone can be a cyberbully. There is no need to have physical dominance or popularity. This means that people who want to bully can easily do it on the Internet regardless of their status in their real life.

No Barrier to Entry

Similar to the concept of there being no need to be dominant or popular, there is also a very low barrier to entry to becoming a cyberbully. Anyone with access to the Internet can get started. Friends are defined loosely online, which creates a situation that makes it very easy to bully others.

No Feedback From Victim

Finally, the last reason why people who do not bully in real life may engage in cyberbullying has to do with a lack of feedback from their victim. Cyberbullies usually engage in bullying over an extended period of time, largely because there is generally less personal feedback from the victim and less retaliation compared to face-to-face interaction. Someone, who in real life would see the impact on their victim and back off, may not do the same in the case of cyberbullying.

How Cyberbullying Differs From In-Person Bullying

In the case of cyberbullying, the victim generally has no escape from the abuse and harassment. Unlike real life encounters, online bullying and the Internet never really shut down and bullying may be unrelenting.

This can make victims feel as though they have no escape, particularly if the bullying involves sharing of their personal information or when something posted about them goes viral. This type of bullying can go on for an extended period of time.

There are numerous effects that may be seen in those who are dealing with cyberbullying. It can be helpful to know what to expect to see in a victim, as this can be one way to identify when someone is being bullied online.

Some of these effects are even stronger than what is seen with traditional bullying, as the victim often cannot escape the abusive situation. They may include:

• Feelings of distress and anxiety about the bullying
• Increased feelings of depression and mood swings
• Problems falling asleep or staying asleep (e.g., insomnia)
• Increased feelings of fearfulness
• Feelings of low self-esteem or self-worth
• Social isolation, withdrawing from friend groups, or spending a lot of time alone
• Avoiding doing things that they used to enjoy
• Increased feelings of anger, irritability, or angry outbursts
• Poor academic performance
• Problems in relationships with family members and friends
• Symptoms of post-traumatic stress
• Self-harm (e.g., cutting, hitting yourself, headbanging)
• Suicidal ideation or suicide attempt
• Substance abuse

There are indeed some common aspects of the victim that tend to repeat themselves including the following characteristics:

• Teens and young adults are the most at risk.
• In the case of spreading false rumors and being the recipient of explicit images, girls are more likely to be victims.
• People who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender may be victims more often.
• Those who are shy, socially awkward, or don't fit in easily may become victims.
• People from lower-income households are more likely to be victims.
• People who use the Internet constantly are more likely to be victims of online bullies.

Anyone can become a victim of cyberbullying, even people who are considered public figures. People who have large followings on social media often tend to become targets for cyberbullies.

There are many ways to deal with a cyberbully as a child, an adult, or a parent of a child being bullied on the Internet. Let's take a look at each of these issues separately.

As a Child or Teen

Cyberbullying can come from classmates, people in chatrooms, gamers, family members, or anonymous internet trolls. It can be mildly annoying to severely threatening. If you are being harassed, bullied, stalked, or threatened, here are a few things we recommend.

• Talk to an adult that you trust for assistance (parents, a teacher, the principal, or another adult you can rely on). If the bully is making threats, the police may need to get involved.
• Save every form of communication that the bully is sending to you (emails, pictures, texts, links, documents, etc.) and take screenshots if needed.
• Do not feed the lions. Your response can be like "food" for the bully and makes them want to harass you even more.
• Do not give any personal information, such as your address, birthday, phone number, social security number, bank account information, etc.
• Even if you willingly participated in a conversation with someone online, you did not ask to be bullied. Don't let guilt or embarrassment stop you from getting help. It is not your fault.

As a Parent

If your child is being bullied online, the best course of action is to instruct them not to respond to the Internet bully. In addition, tell them to document each instance of cyberbullying by saving text messages, emails, photos, and any other forms of communication. This can be done using screenshots if necessary. Ask your child to forward this information to you so that you have records of everything.

Next, if the bullying originates from a school contact, report the instances of cyberbullying to the teacher, principal, or administrative staff at your school. In the case of extreme bullying or threats, you should also report the bullying behavior to the police.

Finally, it's important to reassure your child that they are not to blame for the bullying online. Some victims may feel that their behavior created the problem or that they are somehow to blame. For this reason, it's important to make sure your child knows that what happened is not their fault.

As an Adult

Many of the same principles as above will apply to your situation as an adult dealing with a cyberbully.

First of all, be sure to keep records of all instances of bullying, whether they come through your text messages, messenger chats, in Facebook groups, Instagram DMs, or other online sources. Take screenshots and keep folders on your computer with evidence of the cyberbullying.

Next, if you know the source of the cyberbullying, determine whether there is a course of action you can take with regard to that person. For example, if it is a work colleague or supervisor, is there someone in HR at work that you can speak to? If it is a family member, is there a way to bring up this issue to other family members to ask for their support? Finally, if it is someone you only know online, can you block and delete them from all your social media?

The best course of action will be to ignore the cyberbullying as much as possible. However, if you are receiving threats, then you will want to report this to the police, along with the evidence that you have collected.

As a Community

It is not enough for victims of cyberbullying to deal with their bullies and try to find solutions. Oftentimes, these victims are emotionally distraught and unable to find help.

It is our job as a community to work toward establishing systems that prevent cyberbullying from taking place at all. Some potential ideas for initiatives are listed below.

Kids and teens who are cyberbullied are still learning how to regulate emotions and deal with social situations. Cyberbullying at this age could have lasting permanent effects. Mental health resources should be put in place to help victims of cyberbullying manage their mental health.

Cyberbullying thrives on status and approval. Cyberbullies will stop when social rejection of cyberbullying becomes so widespread and prevalent that they no longer have anything to gain. This means that every instance of online bullying that is witnessed (especially in the case of troll comments) should be ignored. In addition, there should be awareness campaigns that online bullying is not only not acceptable, but that it is a sign of weak social status.

Schools are the point of contact for parents trying to help their children who are being cyberbullied. For this reason, schools should have programs and protocols in place to immediately and swiftly deal with cyberbullying. Parents should not have to ask multiple times for help without receiving it.

What happens if you are the cyberbully yourself? If you are engaging in cyberbullying and want to stop, you'll need to take stock of your reasons for engaging in the bullying, as this will inform your best course of action. Let's consider each of these and what you could do.

You Are Struggling With a Mental Health Issue

If you feel as though your mental health is not in good shape and this might be contributing to your cyberbullying behavior, make an appointment with your doctor to discuss your options. For example, if you struggle with anger or aggression, you might benefit from an anger management program .

If you have low empathy for others or identify with the traits of psychopathy , then it may be harder for you to find insight and desire to change. However, you could try to channel your energy into different pursuits.

For example, if you are cyberbullying someone because it gives you a thrill, is there a hobby you could take up or business that you could start that would give you a thrill without consequences for another person?

You Were a Victim Yourself

If you were once a victim yourself of cyberbullying, and that is the reason why you are now engaging in cyberbullying yourself, it's time to take a look at your options for change. It could be that you have unresolved anger that needs to be taken out in a different way.

You may also feel more powerful when you bully, which helps you to stop feeling like a victim. In that case, you may need to work on other ways to improve your sense of self so that you can stop feeling helpless and out of control. After all, you were once a victim yourself, and you know how that feels.

Rather than continue a cycle of bullying and victimhood, you have a chance to break the cycle and rise above your past. You'll likely need help to do that, most likely in the form of professional assistance to work through your past.

You Had a Conflict or Breakup

If you are cyberstalking someone because of a conflict you had with them or a bad breakup, it's time to re-evaluate your behavior. What do you hope to achieve from your cyberstalking? Again, you may need the help of a professional to work through your feelings that have led to this behavior.

You Are Lonely or Isolated

What if you are just lonely, and this is the reason you have resorted to cyberbullying? This type of bullying falls into the arena of people who may feel like the world has passed them by. Or that everyone else is out there enjoying life while you are alone.

In this case, find ways to start building up your in-person social connections. Join a club, volunteer somewhere, or take up a hobby to meet other people like yourself.

You Are Bored

If you are cyberbullying because you are bored (and you're not a psychopath), then you'll want to consider why you think it is acceptable to hurt someone else in exchange for making yourself less bored.

Certainly, lots of people are bored in the world but they never cyberbully. Take up a hobby, learn a second language, or find something to do.

A Word From Verywell

If you are a victim of cyberbullying, know that you are not alone and there are options to help. If you are struggling, you can visit the following.

• The CyberBullyHotline
• 1-800-Victims
• StopBullying.gov

Finally, if you are a cyberbully yourself, it's never too late to change. Examine your reasons for being a bully, and see if you can find some alternatives to stop the behavior.

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By Arlin Cuncic, MA Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of The Anxiety Workbook and founder of the website About Social Anxiety. She has a Master's degree in clinical psychology.

Social Media Bullying – Definition, Effects, And Prevention

While social media provides a forum for connection, it also gives people the opportunity to engage in potentially harmful behavior. Social media bullying can be unnamed, persistent, and difficult to avoid; and it can have serious effects, such as academic or professional struggles and mental health-related concerns. This form of bullying can also, however, be addressed and even prevented with the right approach. Below, we’re discussing social media bullying, its effects, and how you can address it if it’s occurring in your life.

What is bullying?

Bullying is a behavior in which one person intentionally and repeatedly causes another harm or pain (including emotional pain). The intimidating or cruel person can be anyone, not just a stereotype of a tough playground bully hurting a small, weak child, for example. Typically, the target of bullying behavior has not done anything to “cause” the attacks. They may have difficulty knowing how to defend themselves.

According to the American Psychological Association,  bullying is behavior in which one person “intentionally and repeatedly causes another person injury or discomfort”. Bullying can be verbal, physical, emotional, or virtual, and it can take place in a variety of contexts. Both online and in-person bullying can have lasting negative effects on the person who is bullied.

What is social media bullying?

Social media bullying, a form of cyberbullying, takes place digitally through social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and Tik Tok. Social media bullying can include sending someone threatening messages, spreading false information about them, giving their personal details without consent, and a variety of other actions.

Social media bullying—and cyberbullying more broadly—is a pervasive concern. According to surveys by Pew Research Center, 59% of teens and 41% of adults have experienced online harassment at some point.

Social media bullying often takes the form of threatening, demeaning, or harassing comments. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Tik Tok allow users to communicate with one another in a variety of ways, whether through direct messages, comments, or posts. While this can encourage further connection and the exchange of ideas, it can also engender bullying. Some users may spread false information through posts, repeatedly message an individual against their will, or make threatening comments. 

Some people bully others by posting pictures on social media platforms that are meant to embarrass or demean another person. Others post personal details about an individual online without consent. Doxing —using the internet to reveal sensitive information about someone—is a common form of social media bullying. The internet can also be used to stalk others.

Social media bullying can be harder to recognize or track than other forms of harassment. Users can set up fake accounts, allowing them to bully others namelessly. It can also be a more persistent form of bullying. Because people can get internet from almost anywhere now, and social media sites are becoming increasingly ubiquitous, people who are being bullied may have a hard time getting away from this behavior. 

What are the effects of social media bullying?

Social media bullying can impact people in the same ways that other forms of bullying do while also prompting unique challenges. Children who are bullied are more likely to experience mental and physical health concerns , including depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, changes in eating patterns, feelings of sadness, loneliness, isolation, and a loss of interest in things they used to enjoy. Cyberbullying is also associated with an increased risk of suicide in young people. Children and adolescents who have experienced bullying are more likely to have lower grades and drop out of school.

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or urges, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text 988 to talk to someone over SMS. Support is available 24/7. If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more immediate resources.

When perpetrated against adults, cyberbullying can lead to challenges with an individual’s career, social life, and mental health. Social media bullying may also involve blackmail or fraud, which can lead to financial duress.  Cyberbullying has been linked to higher levels of anxiety, reduced self-esteem, and decreases in work performance. Additionally, there is a connection between growing social media use and an increase in real-life stalking .

What to do if you experience social media bullying

To limit the above-mentioned effects social media bullying, it can help to be aware of strategies for addressing online harassment. If you’ve experienced this form of cyberbullying, there are several steps you can take to navigate the situation. 

Avoid responding

By not replying to bullying behavior, you might take some of the power from the aggressor and limit future interactions with them. Alternatively, engaging with the individual who is bullying you may exacerbate the situation and lead to further harassment. Instead, consider following the below steps, which can provide you with recourse and make it easier for you to avoid contact with that user.  

Block the user 

Most social media platforms allow you to block accounts. This typically prevents the individual from looking your profile, messaging you, or commenting on your posts. If someone makes hurtful or threatening comments directed at you or engages in other bullying behavior, blocking them may defend you from further harassment. Though it can differ depending on the platform, you can usually block a user through settings located on their profile; and it can often be done without the individual knowing that you’re blocking them. 

Report the behavior 

Reporting online harassment is a way for you to defend yourself and others from bullying. Most social media platforms have channels for reporting harmful behavior. StopBullying.gov has a list of links for reporting harassment to various social media platforms. 

If the bullying is being perpetrated by a fellow student or co-worker, you can also report the behavior to your school or place of work. There may be policies in place to help end the harassment. Additionally, many states have laws regarding cyberbullying . Understanding the rules that apply in your area can help you better respond to bullying. 

Reach out for help

Support from others—such as family, peers, and licensed mental health professionals—is often crucial in efforts to build resilience following bullying. Talking about bullying and asking for help can be challenging, though. Many who are survivors of bullying may feel intimated or embarrassed to discuss their experience. But it can be healthy and productive to acknowledge the way you’re feeling and talk to someone who can support you, such as a parent, a school counselor, a trusted teacher, or a friend. Additionally, consider seeking out support groups, either in person or online, where you can connect with others who have survived cyberbullying. 

What to do if your child is being bullied online

If your child is experiencing social media bullying, taking steps to address the situation can be important for their emotional health and safety. One of the most constructive steps you can take is to keep records of the bullying that has taken place. Screenshots, messages, pictures, or other indications that your child is being bullied can be used when you report the behavior. 

Talking with and listening to your child is important during this time. Try to learn as much as possible about what happened and how it’s affecting your child. Acknowledging the seriousness of what they’re experiencing can ensure they feel heard, while letting them know you’re available to talk anytime can provide them with emotional support. 

If the aggressor is a classmate, working with the school’s administration can be another important step toward a resolution. You can also contact the social media platform through which the bullying occurred. Cyberbullying typically violates the terms of service of social media platforms. As mentioned above, contacting the platform can help the company take action, potentially leading to the individual being banned. 

You may also consider talking to a mental health professional. A licensed therapist can your child manage the potential mental health effects of bullying, such as anxiety, worry, low self-esteem, isolation, and depression. They can also help your child learn helpful coping strategies and positive social skills as they move forward after a bullying incident.

Certain popular forums are more likely to be frequented by people who engage in social media bullying. To keep your child away from these sites, consider putting parental controls on their devices. 

Addressing the effects of bullying with online therapy

Research suggests that online therapy can help individuals cope with the potential negative impacts of social media bullying and similar forms of harassment. In a study published in the journal Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, researchers found that online therapy improved trauma-related symptoms in participants who had experienced bullying. The study also noted the ability of online therapy to help individuals reframe negative thoughts about bullying. 

Online therapy can be a useful resource for recovering from bullying, building self-esteem, and learning ways to engage in positive, helpful thought patterns and behaviors. With an online therapy platform like BetterHelp , you can participate in sessions remotely, which can be helpful if you’re not comfortable discussing potentially sensitive topics, like cyberbullying, in person. BetterHelp works with a team of therapists with diverse specialties and areas of expertise, so you’ll have a good chance of connecting with someone who knows how to address your specific concerns regarding bullying, trauma, or similar challenges. 

Social media bullying is a pervasive and harmful concern in modern society, affecting people of all ages and leading to serious impacts. By reporting harassment, helping spread awareness, and reaching out for help, you can help address this issue—both in your life and the lives of others. If you’re struggling with the effects of bullying, trauma, or similar concerns, consider getting matched with a licensed therapist online . With the right help, you can address social media bullying, limit its effects in your life, and continue caring for your mental and emotional well-being.    

What are the social effects of cyberbullying *?

Cyberbullying online can have a variety of social effects. Even in a safe environment, people who have been cyberbullied may not feel safe to express their emotions or discuss their experiences with others (like a school staff member or a loved one). This may lead them to feel isolated or become more socially withdrawn. 

Experiencing bullying may also be a risk factor for bullying others. In a study published in 2018, researchers tracked 2,844 students from fourth grade to eighth grade to look at the relationship between being bullied and engaging in bullying behaviors. They found a “significant overlap” between those who bullied others and those who experienced bullying . 

What are cyberbullying and body shaming on social media?

Social media cyberbullying is the harassment, intimidation, or shaming of others on social media platforms. Some examples include:

• Sending someone derogatory messages
• Spreading lies about someone
• Impersonating someone
• Posting hurtful comments about someone
• Publishing someone’s information, such as their address, pictures, or screen shots of conversations

Body shaming is another form of social media cyberbullying. It involves criticizing or mocking someone for their physical features (like their hair, weight, height, or perceived attractiveness). 

What are the mental effects of cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is a personal experience that can impact different people differently. Its possible mental health effects may include:

• Depression 
• Substance use disorders
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Feeling lonely or isolated
• Reduced self-esteem

Cyberbullying may also be a source of chronic stress, which can lead to symptoms like irritability and changes in eating and sleeping patterns. 

What are the effects of cyberbullying on the student's performance?

Cyberbullying has been found to have negative academic impacts on students. In 2015, researchers looked at two large-scale samples of U.S. middle school and high school students. They found that cyberbullying was a risk factor for being absent from school and getting poor grades . 

Does social media addiction cause cyber bullying?

According to research, social media addiction may make a person more likely to engage in cyberbullying. In a 2021 study, researchers surveyed 428 adolescents to look for relationships between cyberbullying behaviors and other factors, like gender, depression, anxiety, and addiction to social media. They found that high levels of social media addiction, and spending many hours online, were two risk factors for engaging in cyberbullying . 

How does social media cause body shaming?

Although social media may not directly cause body shaming, body shaming may be more common on social media. Exposure to altered photos and videos may cause people to develop unrealistic beauty standards. These factors may all lead to increased body shaming on social media. 

• Body Language—What Is It And Why Does It Matter? Medically reviewed by Paige Henry , LMSW, J.D.
• Five Examples Of Bullying: Where And Why It Can Happen Medically reviewed by Aaron Dutil , LMHC, LPC
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How to Prevent Cyberbullying

Verywell / Jiaqi Zhou

Cyberbullying is a growing social problem that has become all too common in online communities. Research indicates that one in five tweens has been cyberbullied, while 59% of teens have been harassed online. And the rate at which online bullying is occurring does not seem to be declining.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, cyberbullying escalated . During stay-at-home orders, research shows cyberbullying increased 70% and toxicity on online gaming platforms increased 40%.

These numbers illustrate that despite increased education and improved school bullying prevention programs , incidences of cyberbullying continue to escalate. So parents need to do what they can to prevent cyberbullying in their kids' lives.

Why Prevention Is Important

Cyberbullying is deliberately and repeatedly inflicting harm using electronic devices, gaming apps, and online social media platforms. It often manifests as hate accounts, hurtful social media posts, online rumors and gossip , and mean comments while gaming. The intention is almost always to embarrass, threaten, humiliate, intimidate, or abuse the intended target.

Research has shown that those who are cyberbullied suffer a number of different consequences , including struggling emotionally, physically, mentally, and academically. What's more, cyberbullying is a significant stressor in a young person's life. Cyberbullying leaves young people feeling hurt, embarrassed, and sometimes even scared.

Not only do they often blame themselves for the torment and harassment they experience, but they also are left feeling extremely stressed out. In fact, one study found that nearly 35% of those targeted by cyberbullies reported symptoms of stress.

Kids targeted by cyberbullies also may experience physical symptoms in response to the stress they are experiencing. They may complain of stomachaches, headaches, skin conditions, and other physical ailments.

Kids' sleeping and eating habits can be impacted by cyberbullying. Sometimes kids who are cyberbullied will crash diet or binge eat as either a way of coping with the cyberbullying or as an attempt to alter the way they look in hopes the cyberbullying will end.

Grades and extracurricular activities may also suffer as a result of harassment. Teens may skip school or have trouble concentrating on their studies because cyberbullying is consuming all of their time and energy.

It's also not uncommon for cyberbullying victims to feel alone and isolated. Many kids who are targeted report being ostracized at school . This experience, in turn, impacts their self-esteem and feelings of self-worth. Ultimately, cyberbullying can lead to self-harm and even suicidal thoughts.

When kids are regularly harassed by others through social media posts, text messages, instant messaging, and blog posts, they can start to feel hopeless. They may start to think that the only way to escape the torment is through suicide. Because the risks associated with cyberbullying are so significant, it's important that parents take steps to prevent cyberbullying in their kids' lives.

If your tween or teen is having suicidal thoughts, they can contact the  National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  at  988  for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If they are in immediate danger, call 911.

Ways to Manage Cyberbullying

While there is no foolproof way to prevent your child from ever being cyberbullied, there are things you can do together to reduce the likelihood they will be targeted. This includes implementing safety measures as well as having ongoing conversations about cyberbullying. You need to discuss what cyberbullying is, the risks associated with experiencing it, and how it can escalate.

It's also important to talk to your tweens and teens about how to use social media safely and responsibly and what they should do if they are bullied online.

Protect Accounts and Devices

When it comes to preventing cyberbullying, and similar behaviors like catfishing , it's important that your child use passwords on everything. Passwords are one of the most effective ways to protect accounts and devices.

Emphasize that your child should never share their passwords with anyone, including their best friend. Even though they may trust that friend implicitly, the reality is that friends come and go and there is no guarantee they are going to be friends forever.

Use Privacy Tools and Settings

No matter what your teen does online, make sure they are aware of the privacy settings and tools offered by the organization. Almost every social media platform including Instagram , Twitter, SnapChat , and TikTok have privacy settings.

Go through each account with your child and help them set their privacy settings to the most secure settings. This means making accounts private, preventing people from tagging them, requiring other people to get permission before sharing one of their photos, and so on.

Keep Personal Stuff Private

Kids should never share their address, cell phone number, or email address online. They should be careful about sharing too much information about where they go to school, especially if they have friends or followers online that they don't know really well.

Remind them that people are not always who they claim to be online. Even though the profile photo is of a teenage girl, that doesn't mean the person behind the account is actually a teenage girl. It could be someone pretending to be a young girl in order to gather information on other teens.

Manage Location Sharing

Some smartphones allow users to share their location with friends. This means that if they share their location with people, these people will always know where they are. Have a discussion with your child about who they can share their location with or if they can share it at all.

Likewise, some photos taken with smartphones already contain geotags that indicate where the photo was taken. People can use these photos to determine your child's location, even if they never mention where the photo was taken.

Your child needs to be mindful about which photos they are sharing and when. For instance, you may want them to refrain from posting vacation pictures until you have returned from vacation. This way, you are not letting the entire online world know that no one is at your home for the next two weeks.

Teach Them to Think Before Posting

Help your tweens and teens get in the habit of taking some time before posting. For instance, they could create a post offline and then come back to it in an hour and decide if they still want to post it. Doing so will keep them from posting things that they may later regret.

Cyberbullies may take what your child posted and use it against them in some way, so it might be helpful to encourage your child to take time to think before posting. Of course, if someone wants to use something against them, it won't necessarily matter what the content is.

But by taking their time to craft a post, your child will be able to think through what they are posting and determine whether or not it's something they want to say publicly. This is a good practice for kids in order to maintain a healthy relationship with social media.

You also need to teach your tween or teen how to practice digital etiquette . Using social media and other online tools is a privilege, not a right, and one that can be taken away if they are unable to use it responsibly.

Conduct a Social Media Audit

Every month or so, sit down with your tween or teen and go through their social media accounts. Together, determine what posts may need to be deleted from their account. This exercise is especially important as they prepare to apply to college or look for a new job.

Many times, college recruiters and hiring managers will look through an applicant's social media accounts to get a feel for their personality and character. Together along with your teen, be sure your teen's posts and photos are sending the message they want others to receive.

Log Out When Using Public Devices

Remind your tween or teen that when they are using public computers or laptops at school or the library, they should log out of any account they use. This includes logging out of email, social media accounts, their school account, Amazon account, and any other account they may open.

Simply closing the tab is not enough. If someone gets on the computer immediately after they are done, they may still be able to get into your child's account. And once they have access, they can take control of that account by changing passwords.

Once they have control, they can impersonate your child online by making fake posts and comments that make your child look bad. Plus, once you lose access to an account, it can be difficult and time-consuming to regain control.

Refuse to Respond to Cyberbullies

If your child does experience cyberbullying, they should refrain from responding. This means they should not argue, try to explain, or engage in any way with a cyberbully.

Cyberbullies are looking for an emotional response, but if your child refuses to give them anything to go on, they are left with one-sided communications.

In the meantime, they should take screenshots of the harassment and save it as proof of the encounter. This documentation may be needed when reporting a cyberbully.

Report Cyberbullies

Make sure your child knows that they should always report cyberbullying. This includes not only telling you what is happening, but also letting the social media platform, internet service provider, and any other necessary parties know what is going on. You may even need to contact the school or the police to put an end to the harassment.

Once all the reports have been filed, take the appropriate steps to block the person or account responsible for the cyberbullying. Doing so doesn't prevent them from using a different account or a public space to continue to cyberbully your tween or teen, but it will slow them down.

Teens also should learn to be good bystanders too. If they witness cyberbullying online, they should refrain from participating in the cyberbullying and instead look for ways to support the person being targeted. They should also report what they witness online to a responsible adult like you, a teacher, or a principal—especially if they know who is doing the cyberbullying.

More often than not, kids are cyberbullied by people they know from their school or their community. So standing up for the person being targeted can help prevent future cyberbullying incidents, especially if the cyberbully is not getting the reaction they want.

A Word From Verywell

Whether you are looking to protect your child as they embark on the online world or they have already experienced cyberbullying, it is never too late (or too early) to implement strategies to prevent cyberbullying. Even college students and young adults can benefit from added safety measures.

Sit down with your kids and strategize how they can not only use online tools safely, but also how they can protect themselves from trolls , cyberbullies, and other toxic people online. You should also talk to them about what steps to take if they are cyberbullied, including how to report cyberbullying to the appropriate authorities.

And remember, technology and the internet are not the issue. It's the people who use it to harm others that are the real problem. Try to refrain from taking away technology or limiting your child's access to online tools. Instead, teach them how to use these tools safely and responsibly. Doing so will benefit them for the rest of their lives.

Cyberbullying Research Center in Partnership With Cartoon Network. Tween cyberbullying in 2020 .

Pew Research Center. A majority of teens have experienced some form of cyberbullying .

L1ght.  Rising levels of hate speech & online toxicity during this time of crisis .

Nixon CL.  Current perspectives: the impact of cyberbullying on adolescent health .  Adolesc Health Med Ther . 2014;5:143-58. doi:10.2147/AHMT.S36456

Extremera N, Quintana-Orts C, Mérida-López S, Rey L.  Cyberbullying victimization, self-esteem and suicidal ideation in adolescence: does emotional intelligence play a buffering role? .  Front Psychol . 2018;9:367. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00367

Alavi N, Reshetukha T, Prost E, et al.  Relationship between bullying and suicidal behaviour in youth presenting to the emergency department .  JdCan Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry . 2017;26(2):70-77.

By Sherri Gordon Sherri Gordon, CLC is a published author, certified professional life coach, and bullying prevention expert. 

154 Bullying Topics & Bullying Essay Examples

Looking for an exciting research topic about bullying? This problem is very controversial, sensitive, and definitely worth studying

🏆 Top 10 Bullying Topics for Research Papers

📃 bullying essay: writing tips, 🏆 best bullying topics to write about, ⚡ most shocking bullying topics to write about, ✅ simple & easy shocking bullying essay titles, ✍️ bullying essay topics for college, ❓ research questions about bullying.

Examples of bullying can be found everywhere: in schools, workplaces, and even on the Internet (in the form of cyberbullying).

In this article, we’ve collected top bullying research paper topics and questions, as well as bullying essay samples and writing tips. Get inspired with us!

• Direct and indirect bullying: compare & contrast
• The causes of bullying
• Classroom bullying and its effects
• Social isolation as a form of bullying
• Bullying and academic performance
• Passive and active victims of bullying: compare and contrast
• The role of social agencies in bullying prevention
• Public policy for bullying and aggression
• Bullying behavior and psychological health
• Aggressive children and their family background

A bullying essay is a popular assignment in various subjects, including psychology, sociology, and education. Writing an excellent paper on the matter requires more than just in-depth research and planning. Don’t worry; there are some tips that will make writing an essay on bullying much easier:

• Choose a topic that allows analyzing and interpreting the problem. Instead of merely describing what bullying is, try to dig deeper into its causes, consequences, and solutions. If your professor didn’t suggest any topics, you may research bullying essay topics online and select one that would be exciting for you to explore.
• Read sample articles and papers online to see how other students approached the subject. Notice the bits that work and don’t work, and write them out to make the process of creating your essay easier. If you’re struggling with finding enough examples online, you may want to expand your search to discrimination essay topics and materials.
• Research what scholars say about bullying. Articles in scholarly journals are an excellent source of information because they are usually trustworthy. If you’re still in school, your ability to navigate the library or online databases will also impress your tutor. As you start researching, you will find that there is a great variety of studies, and it’s challenging to find the relevant ones. Narrowing down your search would help you to do that. For instance, if you are writing a cyber bullying essay, try searching for social media bullying or online anti-bullying services.
• Include real-life experiences where relevant. Unfortunately, bullying is a common problem in many institutions, and if you haven’t experienced it, your friends or family members probably have. If your tutor allows personal input, explore real-life experiences with bullying. Note the effects, preventive measures that worked or didn’t work, and what a person used to cope with bullying. If personal input is not allowed, you could ask your friends or relatives for ideas and then find high-quality sources that discuss similar problems.
• If you can, be creative about it! A powerful bullying essay example draws from a variety of sources to present material in a creative way and engage readers. Hence, this might be an excellent opportunity for you to include images or graphs in your paper. For example, anti-bullying posters could complement the sections of your work that talks about solutions to the problem. Quotes about bullying coming from famous persons would also be influential, especially if you include them at the beginning of your piece. If you like drawing or painting, you could try to put some of your ideas in graphic form – this will definitely earn you some extra marks! Just make sure to check with your tutor to see whether or not creative input is allowed.
• Structure your paper well to avoid gaps or inconsistencies. It would be beneficial to create a detailed bullying essay outline before you start working. A typical essay should include an introduction, two to three main paragraphs, and a conclusion. The first paragraph of your work should consist of some background information, whereas the last one should restate the points and close up the paper. A good bullying essay introduction should also feature a thesis statement that shows what the piece is about.

These tips will help you to write top-notch essays on bullying, as well as on related subjects. Don’t forget to browse our blog some more to find other helpful materials, including essay titles!

• The Problem of Bullying and Possible Solutions In general, bullying is a critical and complex issue prevailing among children; thus, it is essential to adopt different solutions to tackle it.
• Cyber Bullying Issue Therefore, the goal of this paper is to analyse who the victims of cyber bullying are and the influence it has on them.
• Bullying and Child Development Bullying is one of the common vices in schools that influences a lot of growth and development of children. Bullying also affects the ability of children to concentrate in school because they are always on […]
• Bullying and Its Effects in Society Secondary research is critical in the development of a background to the research, which helps in determining the validity of the problem and suggested research methodologies.
• The Impact of Workplace Bullying The negative impacts of bullying in the workplace develop as a result of ignorance among employees regarding the vice, unreported cases, as well as the negligence of organizational leaders.
• Social Influence on Bullying in Schools The theory helps us to understand why the stronger members of the school population are likely to “rule” over the weaker members of the school as described in the social hierarchy concept in the theory.
• Bullying in School Face-to-face bullying is an interesting area of study because it clearly demonstrates bullying in school. Students consider bullying as a school culture even though it is contrary to the school rules and regulations of schools.
• School Bullying and Moral Development The middle childhood is marked by the development of basic literacy skills and understanding of other people’s behavior that would be crucial in creating effective later social cognitions. Therefore, addressing bullying in schools requires strategies […]
• Is Cyber Bullying Against Teenagers More Detrimental Than Face-To-Face Bullying? Social networking has also contributed greatly to the issue of cyber bullying especially in making it more harmful as compared to face-to-face bullying.
• Cyber Bullying and Positivist Theory of Crime Learning theory approaches to the explanation of criminal behavior have been associated with one of the major sociological theories of crime, the differential association theory.
• Social Psychological Concepts of Bullying and Its Types Some of the factors that contribute to bullying include poor parenting, economic challenges, lack of mentorship, and jealousy among others. One of the main concepts used to explain bullying is that of parenting roles and […]
• Bullying and Cyberbullying in Modern Society Cyberbullying among adolescents and teenagers is defined as the purposeful and repetitive harm done by one or more peers in cyberspace as a result of using digital devices and social media platforms.
• The Effects of Cyber-Bullying and Cyber-Stalking on the Society In particular, one should focus on such issues as the disrespect for a person’s autonomy, the growing intensity of domestic violence and deteriorating mental health in the country.
• Character Traits of Bullying Despite the fact that such characteristics may differ from child to child, it is the common feature of difference that makes the target children get noticed by the bullies.
• The Issue of Bullying in the Schools It gives me joy to know that the issue of bullying is now a pubic affair since bullying stories were unheard of when I was growing up.
• The ABC Model of Crisis: Bullying at School The next step is the identification of the nature of the crisis, and thus questions are as follows: Who is bullying you?
• Cyber-Bullying Is a Crime: Discussion It is easy to see the effects of cyber-bullying but it is hard to find out who is the bully making it hard for authorities to pin the blame on the perpetrator of a crime […]
• Workplace Bullying and Its Impact on Performance Workplace bullying refers to a deliberate, repeated, and continuous mistreatment of a worker or a group of workers by one or more colleagues in the workplace.
• School Bullying: Causes and Police Prevention It is for this reason that there has been need for the intervention of the community and the government to address the issue of bullying schools lest the school environment becomes the worst place to […]
• Verbal Bullying at School: How It Should Be Stopped This paper highlights some of the best practices that can be used by teachers in order to address this problem. So, this information can be of great benefit to them.
• Discouraging and Eliminating Cyber Bullying Resources Role of the resource/input Statement forms To facilitate information transfer to the staff Counseling Personnel To arm students against the problem Bullying report system To create efficient internet enhance report system Regulation implementation documents […]
• Bullying as a Relational Aggression This resistance has been one of the obstacles to eliminating the cyber bullying in the schools. Schools and districts have been involved in the Challenge Day activities where children are advised on how to handle […]
• Cyber Bullying as a Virtual Menace The use of information and communication technologies to support a deliberate and most of the time repeated hostile behavior by an individual or groups of people with the sole intention of harming others, one is […]
• Bullying and Harassment in the Healthcare Workplace This paper is written to explore the origins of discrimination and harassment in the healthcare workplace. Bullying begins early in medical college and residencies; it has been referred to as an element of the learning […]
• Bullying, Its Forms, and Counteractions In addition, it is necessary to support those at the center of this bullying, as this can protect them from harmful effects and consequences.
• Incivility, Violence, and Bullying in the Healthcare Workplace The following step is to gather the team and communicate the necessity of change, assigning some individuals for the positions related to the change, in other terms, a support team.
• School Bullying: Methods for Managing the Problem The investigation of relevant studies on the methods for stopping school bullying reveals that the most effective ways of eliminating this type of behavior include providing training for teachers, encouraging students to participate in the […]
• Bullying in the Workplace Organizational leaders have an ethical obligation to ensure that they deal with cases of bullying within the workplace in a professional manner that demonstrates equality, honesty, and high sensitivity to the needs of others.
• Programming for a Year 5 Class on Bullying As a result, in Lesson 6, they will offer their project addressing bullying behaviour and present it to their class, which is the main aim of the Unit Plan.
• The Essence of Bullying: Healthy Societal Relations The aggressor frequently abuses the victim’s lower social standing to gain control of the situation and cause harm, which is another characteristic of the phenomenon.
• Bullying: Violence in Children and Adolescents Bullying is one of the most common manifestations of peer violence in children and adolescents. Prevention of bullying, cyberbullying included, has to occur in accordance with the IBSE Standards of social and emotional learning.
• Effective Ways to Deal With Bullying in US Schools Teachers should ensure the bully is aware of the improper behavior, why it is improper, and the repercussions of the behavior.
• The Gay Teen Suicide & Bullying The article explains that the ones who survive may have access to extensive facilities, support, and status beyond their world of bullies, which sounds reasonable for me.
• Bullying in Nursing: Preventive Measures The prevention of bullying within the workplace is the responsibility of the leaders and managers. One of the significant principles which the leaders can implement is the behavioral code for the employees.
• Network Bullying: School Policy Framework The first step is to have a careful conversation with the student and an assessment by the school psychologist to ensure that there is a fright.
• How to Reduce Bullying in Senior Facilities One of the main reasons an individual may commit suicide due to bullying is because it may make an individual develop a negative self-image after the bullying incident. Some of the major bullying incidences that […]
• Active Shooter and Nursing Bullying Nurses should lock all doors and use tables and other objects to reinforce them to prevent any possibility of the active shooter getting to the patients’ room.
• Racist Bullying Among Black Students in US Universities This research focuses on the impact of bullying and racism among African American students in the country. What are the impacts of bullying and racism among Black students in U.S.universities?
• Bullying and Autism Spectrum Disorder In fact, bullying as a social phenomenon can be characterized as a social and interaction issue; therefore, it is possible to analyze the connection between autism and acts of bullying and inappropriate behavior.
• Eliminating the Problem of Online Bullying Eliminating the problem of online bullying is vital for improving the mental health of adolescents and young adults and allowing them to build their lives free of adverse external influences. It is possible to see […]
• Sexual Bullying in Schools and Its Influence The author states the difference in the mental and physical maturation of girls and boys as one of the core roots of the issue.
• Bullying in Healthcare and Its Consequences Nancy was big and the manager used that to tease her every opportunity she got. It was important to confront the bully and support the victim.
• Queer (LGBT) Teenage Bullying at School The importance of this source to the research is associated with the significant role that youth organizations have to play towards minimizing bullying among LGBT students.
• Bullying of Children: Misconceptions and Preventive Measures As a result, the density of shows and articles devoted to bullying creates an illusion that this event appears more often than it does in reality.
• Bullying Behavior and Impact of Hegemonic Masculinity Rosen and Nofziger applied a quantitative research design to explore the relationships between students’ bullying experiences and race, age, and socioeconomic status and identify the frequency of bullying.
• Bullying and Incivility in Clinical Setting The problem of bullying and incivility in a clinical setting can negatively affect the quality of care provided, so it needs to be managed.
• Bullying and Its Influences on a Person It is common for victims of bullying to develop mental health issues, as they were placed in stressful situations and had a constant fear along with depression in some cases. Making friends is one of […]
• Overview of the Problem of Bullying Undoubtedly, there is no way each person would be able to share and divide their opinion with everyone else because people are not identical, and they tend to have various perspectives.
• Bullying on Social Media Platforms It is consistent and repeating, taking advantage of the Internet’s anonymity with the main goal to anger, scare, or shame a victim.
• “Bullying in Schools”: The Aspects of Bullying In their article, Menesini and Salmivalli examine the current state of knowledge on the topic and thoroughly discuss all of the aspects of bullying.
• Moral Development and Bullying in Children The understanding of moral development following the theories of Kohlberg and Gilligan can provide useful solutions to eliminating bullying in American schools.
• Analysis of Bullying and Parenting Style Since the given topic usually refers to children and adolescents, it is evident that their parents hold a portion of responsibility because the adults affect the growth and development of young individuals.
• Hate Crimes – Bullying More than two-thirds of children and adolescents experience bullying and more than one-fourth of them report extreme forms of coercion.
• Bullying Management: Mass Awareness Program Bulletin.”Teachers, trained to help to rebuild trust, confidence, growth, and commitment through mass awareness to arrest bullying in high schools”. The proposed mass action program is meant to promote awareness on the need to stop […]
• An Anti-Bullying Program Integrated With PRAISE by Ackerman I chose to describe bullying because of the importance of the topic and due to my personal interest in it. Education will eliminate most of the reasons for bullying and provide students with the E […]
• Bullying Through Social Media: Methods An Informed Consent Document will be provided to participants prior to the research, explaining the purpose of the study and promising to protect their identity.
• Bullying Through Social Media: Research Proposal The hypothesis of the study is as follows: the role of adolescents in a cyberbullying situation is interconnected with their psychological characteristics.
• Bullying Through Social Media In particular, inequality in the position of the persecutor and the victim is evident – the aggressor can be anonymous, and there can be many of them.
• Bullying of Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic Then, the principles of adult learning will be used to develop and implement an information product to improve the nursing workforce’s bullying awareness and the knowledge of healthy conflict resolution in the workplace.
• Bullying in Healthcare Organizations: Impact on Nursing Practice Bullying in business entities is a common phenomenon, but the extent of its influence on the “production process” in healthcare and medicine institutions is only beginning to be recognized.
• Workplace Bullying Among Nurses in the Acute Setting Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the frequency of conflicts between nurses and their colleagues and managers has increased significantly in my workplace.
• Bullying Perpetration Among School-Aged Children Mucherah et al.examined how the school climate and teachers’ sanctions against bullying relate to the risk of becoming a victim or perpetrator of bullying.
• Injury and Violence Prevention: – Bullying The aim of preventing injury and violence from bullying is to enable the student to have a healthy social and physical life that will enable them to perform well in their studies and live healthily.
• Cyber-Bullying vs. Traditional Bullying: Its Psychological Effects The researchers presented the recent statistics in order to illustrate the negative social and psychological effects of cyber-bullying in contrast to the traditional bullying in schools.
• Bullying in the Workplace Old Nurse to New Nurse This unvoiced scourge in nursing is characteristically encouraged by the need of bullies to have a total control of a person. Resignation of nurses due to bullying can lead to shortage of nurses in hospitals.
• Bullying and Peer Abuse Especially at work, targets fear coming to work and this will have an adverse result in the efficiency of the staff in the hospital.
• Bullying in the Nursing Workplace Bullying in the nursing workplace, in this case, causes the one bullied to have a feeling of defenselessness and takes away the nurses’ right to dignity at his or her workplace.
• Cyberbullying and Bullying: Similarities While deciding on fitting and balanced sanctions, it is vital to reflect on the ways in which cyberbullying events differ in effect in comparison to other forms of bullying.
• Protection From Bullying: Methods That Work Because of this, it is vital that parents, teachers, and guardians educate themselves on the nature of bullying and work together to develop effective methods and strategies that would help to overcome the problem.
• Psychology: Social Media and Bullying The purpose of this paper is to discuss the issue of social media and bullying and express the author’s opinion on the matter.
• Bullying of LGBTQ Students in American Schools The chosen article focuses on the issue of bullying of LGBTQ students in American schools and its legal repercussions. The author shows that students who are openly gay or bi, as well as those who […]
• Workplace Bullying and Its Impact on People and Society The paper follows a traditional structure with the introduction and body paragraphs that provide essential information devoted to the problem, and improve the understanding of the concept of bullying.
• “Bullying Behavior Among Radiation Therapists” by Johnson and Trad The literature review encompassed a considerable number of sources pertinent to the study and recent enough to be relevant; all the publications were dated within the last fifteen years.
• Human Rights Issues in Australia: Bullying Among School-Going Age and Young People The focus of the topic of the day is on bullying. It is used to prevent or avoid the occurrence of a bullying experience.
• Bullying and Worker’s Harassment in Western Australia In most of the armed services in Australia, new recruits and women are commonly the victims of bullying and harassment despite the fact that it is unacceptable.
• Aggression and Bullying in the Workplace Investigation Aggression, the effects of which are often equated with the death wish, is an instinct like any other and in natural conditions, it helps just as much as any other to ensure the survival of […]
• Bullying: History and Mechanisms for Prevention Students are encouraged to not participate in bullying and to help prevent bullying of others through positive social reactions to incidences of bullying” and Sharing of Scenarios: “Each group will give feedback and share other […]
• Behaviour Management: Bullying The typical behaviors which I saw in the child who got bullied are: The victim of this bullying is physically weak and a soft-natured one.
• Conflict Resolution Tactics and Bullying This study is interesting to the extent that it shows how the social environment impacts the development of a child and how it shapes his or her conflict resolution techniques.
• School Bullying: Case Analysis Even today there is no generally accepted definition of bullying but it is thought that when an individual is for a long period of time is exposed to repeat negative actions and behavior by one […]
• Bullying in the Workplace as a Psychological Harassment Another form of bullying in the workplace is physical assault in the sense that if the workers are not at ease with each other and when the rules and regulations are not at all observed, […]
• “Adolescents’ Perception of Bullying” by Frisen et al. The second and the third aims of the study were “to describe how adolescents perceive bullies” and “to describe what adolescents believe to be important in order to stop bullying”, respectively.
• The Long Term Effects of Bullying in Elementary School Wolke and Lereya argue that the problem is that the majority of studies on bullying are cross-sectional and only use follow-ups after a short period of time.
• Anti-Bullying and Work Quality Improvement Initiative Given the specifics of the work of nurses, conflicts of this kind negatively affect both the whole process of work and the health of patients in particular.
• Workplace Bullying, Salivary Cortisol and Long-Term Sickness Absence The purpose of this cohort-based study was to investigate the extent to which cortisol levels were associated with sickness absence and the relationships between workplace bullying and sickness absence through the prism of cortisol use.
• Workplace Bullying in Australia It is possible to offer several recommendations that can reduce the risk of bullying in organisations. In this case, more attention should be paid to the absence of mechanisms that can protect the victims of […]
• Domestic Violence and Bullying in Schools It also states the major variables related to bullying in schools. They will confirm that social-economic status, gender, and race can contribute to bullying in schools.
• Staff Training as a Solution to Workplace Bullying Furthermore, it has an appeal to logos as the writer has facts about the prevalence of workplace bullying in the USA.
• The “Bully-Free” Initiative: Bullying in Education The students need to have a clear idea that bullying goes against the rules of the school and which actions may be considered bullying.
• Free Speech vs. Bullying Laws One of the topical aspects of modern democracy is the freedom of speech expressed in an ability to come up with personal ideas and the lack of restrictions on the right of expression through publicity.
• Gender and Bullying Issues in Nursing A lack of tolerance for workplace harassment and bullying is likely to lead to the deterioration of the situation and further misunderstanding and tension in an organization.
• Bullying and Cyberbullying Among Peers They are facing the dilemma of how to react, whether they have to fight a superior force of the enemy or to complain to teachers and parents, undermining their reputation.
• Bullying in Schools and Its Major Reasons As of now, the most important goal in research studies covering the topic of bullying in schools is to understand the mechanisms behind bullying promotion and prevention.
• Bullying in Schools: Worldwide Study and Survey The parents were asked to rate the frequency of the bullying that their children experience and to describe the experience of bullying that their children went through.
• Bullying Prevention Programs Some teachers and professors claim that their students cannot show their potential in their hobbies due to the limitations they experience because of bullies around them. As it is mentioned above, educators do not control […]
• Bullying and Its Impact Thus, the current paper is dedicated to the issue of bullying and its effects as well as anti-bullying practices as related to peer victimization.
• Fights and Bullying Among Middle School Learners Alongside the positivist philosophy, the research adopted the survey strategy that involved the use of self-administered questionnaires to collect from the participants.
• Dealing With Workplace Bullying According to the report presented by the University of Louisville, workplace bullying is a repeated action of one employee or a group of employees towards another individual or group. Dealing with bullying in the workplace […]
• Bullying Policies in Walton School District and Georgia University The sample bullying policy language in Walton School District is very similar to the language in the policy of the University of Georgia.
• Amanda Todd’s Bullying and Suicide Story She was fifteen years old, and her story created a major uproar in the press, as it showed the true nature of bullying and the effects it has on the person.
• Bullying in America: Causes and Prevention That is why it is important to pay attention to the reasons why bullying occurs and ways in which it can be reduced.
• Bullying, Facts and Countermeasures Whether it is the bully or the bullied, the parents will need to do a lot to see to it that their children are brought up in the best of the behaviors.
• Bullying as Social and Criminal Deviance The most important step in the student’s guide to research that I would need to analyze bullying is defining the topic.
• Bullying and Legislation in Australian Workplace According to the authors of the article, workplace bullying can be characterized as internal violence. According to the authors of the article, bullying is a widespread phenomenon and is a common attribute of many organizations.
• Bullying at Australian School: Causes and Solution The technological breakthrough that was witnessed in the late 90s and the early 2000s also contributed to the development of the phenomenon, sparking the concepts such as cyberbullying and online bullying.
• Workplace Bullying in The Playground Never Ends The primary reason for becoming a bully is primarily seen in fear to lose authority or formal positions in an organization and have more institutional power than that of the targets.
• Bullying and Suicide in High Schools The main limitation of this research is that the scholars surveyed the victims more often. The victims of cyberbullying also had a tendency to be depressed and contemplate suicide.
• School-Aged Children’ Bullying Behaviors It is due to this that the work of Janssen et al.sought to show just how potentially damaging this behavior could be and the potential psychological repercussions it could have on young children due to […]
• College Students: Suicide and Bullying-Methods The analysts used this tool to report the mood of the participants by posting quizzes, which the students answered while filling the questionnaire.
• Childhood Bullying and Adulthood Suicide Connection In this regard, the seriousness of the issue is depicted in research results that indicate that at least 50% of children and youth in the US have experienced bullying situations as either bullies or victims […]
• Girl-To-Girl Bullying and Mean Stinks Program The positive results can be achieved by the implementation of the multiple educational programs, the increase in public awareness, and promotion of the values of the healthy relationships.”Mean Stinks” is exactly the program with the […]
• Association of Parenting Factors With Bullying The lack of the parental support is the main cause of students’ deviant behaviors at school, including the cases of bullying, and those parents who pay much attention to developing their career cannot provide the […]
• The Problem of Workplace Bullying In particular, this paper will include the discussion of the research articles, reports and case studies that describe the causes of workplace bullying and the strategies used by companies in an effort to overcome it.
• College Students: Suicide and Bullying The misconception that bullying is a minor issue among college students has contributed to the high number of students who suffer because of bullying.
• Homosexual Students and Bullying Specifically, the section addresses the prevalence of bullying in schools and the level of bullying in bisexuals, gay males, and lesbians.
• Social Psychology of Violence and Bullying in Schools Bullying is a common phenomenon in schools and it is reported that it results in violence in learning institutions in the end.
• Bullying and Suicide: The Correlation Between Bullying and Suicide Nonetheless, the extensive research shows that the correlation exists and bullying is one of the risk factors for development of suicidal ideas in adolescents.
• Nature of Bullying In this paper, central focus is going to be on the nature of bullying of children in my hometown, Orlando Florida, how it can be solved, and most importantly; establishing the importance of having knowledge […]
• Cyber Bullying Reduction Program Table of Activities Activity Significance Assembling parents/guardians, students and teachers to announce and explain the program in the institution To enlighten parents/guardians, students and teachers about the rules and regulation enacted due to the threat […]
• Cyber Bullying Prevention in Learning Institutions: Systematic Approach To start with, the students are provided with ways of reporting their concern to the educational institution, and when the staff members of the institution receive the report, they evaluate the information together with the […]
• High School Bullying Effective Responses Emphasis will also be made on the kind of audience to read this article because the contents of this study need to be at par with other similar articles in the journal to be selected.
• Bullying and Suicide Among Teenagers Specific objectives Analyze the causes of bullying among teenagers in the country Analyze the effects of bullying among victims, perpetrators and by-standers Analyze the relationship between bullying in school and suicide among teenagers in the […]
• Social Bullying in Jeff Cohen’s “Monster Culture” It is clear that his part of character is mostly dominant in the childhood stages, as children are not able to develop a sense of morality and predict the consequences of their actions.
• Cyber Bullying and Its Forms The difference between the conventional way of bullying and cyber bullying is that in conventional bullying, there is contact between the bully and the victim.
• Problem of Workplace Bullying Authority intervention should occur when the employees fail to respond to awareness intervention, and thus decide to continue with their behaviors.
• Problem of Childhood Bullying in Modern Society To begin with, the family which is the basic and the most important unit in the society as well as the primary socializing agent plays a major role in shaping behavior of children include bullying.
• Problem of the Managing Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace Employees in an organization have a specific role that they are supposed to play and this means that there might be shortcomings which should not lead to bullying.
• Does Bullying Cause Emotional Problems? However, the current study was relevant because of this design, for the scope of the study covered as well as the results were accurate, and the conclusions drawn were correct.
• Ban High School Bullying A number of stakeholders contribute to the high prevalence of bullying in American schools. Schools that ignore bullying are a big part of the problem and they need to be held accountable.
• The Problem of Bullying While most states in the United States of America have laws to protect people from bullying, the federal government is yet to enact an anti-bullying law.
• Ethical Case: Facebook Gossip or Cyberbullying? The best option to Paige is to apologize publicly and withdraw her comments. The final stage is to act and reflect the outcome of the choice made.
• Bullying on the Rise: Should Federal Government Enact Federal-Bullying Laws? This paper will thus use both primary and secondary data to discuss the prevalence of bullying in schools and whether the federal govern should enact federal laws to curb the social vice at school.
• Bullying in the Schools Furthermore, the law states that training should be done to the teachers as well as the other members of staff on how to deal with bullying and the law also needs the schools to report […]
• Troubled Adolescent due to Bullying His lowered self-esteem would make him to observe the common behaviours of the older boys quietly and accept the situation as a cultural practice.
• Workplace bullying: does it exist?
• What are the three key elements of bullying?
• How does bullying affect those who observe it?
• Direct and indirect bullying: what is the difference?
• What families do bullies typically come from?
• Aggressive children: what is their future?
• How to prevent bullying in schools?
• School bullying and domestic violence: is there a connection?
• Cyberbullying: how to prevent it?
• What can parents do to prevent their children from bullying?
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Cyber Bullying — Social Media Bullying: The Silent Epidemic

Social Media Bullying: The Silent Epidemic

• Categories: Cyber Bullying

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Published: Mar 6, 2024

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The Impact of Social Media Bullying

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Social media addiction linked to cyberbullying

Identifying as male and more hours spent online also contributed

As social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and others continue to grow in popularity , adolescents are spending more of their time online navigating a complex virtual world.

New research suggests that these increased hours spent online may be associated with cyberbullying behaviors. According to a study by the University of Georgia , higher social media addiction scores, more hours spent online, and identifying as male significantly predicted cyberbullying perpetration in adolescents.

Amanda Giordano

“There are some people who engage in cyberbullying online because of the anonymity and the fact that there’s no retaliation,” said Amanda Giordano, principal investigator of the study and associate professor in the UGA Mary Frances Early College of Education. “You have these adolescents who are still in the midst of cognitive development, but we’re giving them technology that has a worldwide audience and then expecting them to make good choices.”

Cyberbullying can take on many forms, including personal attacks, harassment or discriminatory behavior, spreading defamatory information, misrepresenting oneself online, spreading private information, social exclusion and cyberstalking.

The study surveyed adolescents ranging in age from 13–19 years old. Of the 428 people surveyed, 214 (50%) identified as female, 210 (49.1%) as male, and four (0.9%) as other.

Exploring social media addiction

When adolescents are online, they adapt to a different set of social norms than when they’re interacting with their peers in person. Oftentimes, they are more aggressive or critical on social media because of the anonymity they have online and their ability to avoid retaliation. Additionally, cyberbullies may feel less remorse or empathy when engaging in these behaviors because they can’t see the direct impact of their actions.

“The perpetrator doesn’t get a chance to see how damaging their bullying is and to learn from their mistakes and do something different,” said Giordano. “It’s a scary situation because they don’t have the natural consequences they do with offline bullying.”

Teenagers who are addicted to social media are more likely to engage in cyberbullying, as well as those who spend more time online. Participants in the study reported spending on average over seven hours online per day, and the reported average maximum hours spent online in one day was over 12 hours.

“Social media addiction is when people crave it when they’re not on it, and continue their social media use despite negative consequences,” said Giordano. “Some negative consequences could be they’re tired during the day because they’re scrolling all night long, they’re having conflicts with their parents, they’re getting poor grades in school or they’re engaging in actions online that they later regret, but they still continue to use social media.”

Social networking sites are designed to give people a dopamine hit, she added, and some people compulsively look for that hit. “It’s feeding into that addictive behavior, and they may be using cyberbullying as a way to get likes, shares, comments and retweets,” she said. “That’s the common thread you see in behavioral addictions—people start relying on a rewarding behavior as a way to make them feel better when they’re experiencing negative emotions. And so, I think the social media addiction piece is really interesting to show that there’s another factor at play here in addition to the number of hours spent online.”

The study also found that adolescent males are more likely to engage in cyberbullying than females, aligning with past studies that show aggressive behaviors tend to be more male driven. More research on the socialization process of men can help determine what’s leading them to engage in more cyberbullying behaviors.

Next steps for counselors and clinicians

Giordano believes that counselors need to start assessing adolescents for social media addiction if they are engaging in cyberbullying and to provide treatment plans to help redefine their relationship with technology. These interventions may include helping adolescents examine how they define their self-worth and restricting the amount of time they spend on social media platforms.

“There’s quite a few strong and reliable assessments for social media addiction for adolescents that have good psychometric properties,” said Giordano. “I think when clinicians see cyberbullying happen, they really need to explore the individual’s relationship with social media and to address social media addiction, not just the cyberbullying.”

Often, school counselors are not aware of cyberbullying until after an incident occurs. To address this issue, Giordano recommends that schools start educating students earlier about cyberbullying and social media addiction as a preventive method instead of waiting to repair the damage. Whether it’s through an awareness campaign or support group, schools can help students talk about cyberbullying to give them a chance to understand the consequences of their actions and prepare them for potential risks.

“We need schools and school counselors to do this preventative work early and educate students about the risk of addiction with some of these rewarding behaviors like gaming and social media,” said Giordano. “We need to teach them the warning signs of behavioral addiction, what to do if they start to feel like they’re losing control over their behaviors and help them find other ways to manage their emotions, rather than turning to these behaviors. There are a lot of programs already moving in this direction, and I think that’s amazing and there needs to be more of it.”

Counselors can help decrease the risk of some of these addictive behaviors at a young age by teaching and equipping children with emotional regulation skills and other ways to cope with their feelings.

“If you think about it, adolescents are not only figuring out who they are offline, but they’re also trying to figure out who they want to be online,” said Giordano. “We’re giving them even more to do during this developmental period, including deciding how they want to present themselves online. I think it’s a complex world that we’re asking adolescents to navigate.”

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The repercussions of digital bullying on social media users

Associated data.

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

This study aims to examine the repercussions of digital bullying on social media users, especially among university students in Saudi Arabia.

It adopts a descriptive approach based on a social survey method with a sample of 640 male and female students from selected universities. A questionnaire was used to collect the data and to measure the repercussions of digital bullying on the victims, their families, and the society.

The findings reveal that most of the respondents agree that digital bullying has negative consequences for all the stakeholders involved. The results also indicate that female students are more aware of the repercussions of digital bullying than male students.

The study recommends enhancing public awareness through organizing conferences, seminars, and workshops on the issue of digital bullying, and implementing and enforcing strict laws and penalties to punish the perpetrators and to prevent and reduce the harms of digital bullying.

1. Introduction

The field of information and communication technology has undergone rapid and significant changes, especially with the advent of the information revolution. This has led to various transformations in the economic, political, and social spheres, as information can be transmitted quickly and accurately across different domains ( Kumar and Khare, 2022 ). It has also enabled a wide range of communication and interaction opportunities through the creation of social networks and online platforms, which have become popular among various segments of society, especially the youth. These platforms have also influenced the cultural and cognitive aspects of individuals and communities.

Digital bullying is a widespread issue that has a negative impact on the social media ecosystem ( John et al., 2018 ). Although the terms are frequently used interchangeably, it is important to remember that cyberbullying and digital bullying refer to different forms of online abuse. Cyberbullying is a type of premeditated and targeted abuse that generally focuses on chosen targets ( Raskauskas and Huynh, 2015 ). Digital bullying, on the other hand, refers to a broader spectrum of unpleasant online activities. These activities include a variety of undesirable behavior such as harassment, defamation, the distribution of false information, and even impersonation ( Chun et al., 2020 ). The aforementioned minor distinction underscores how profound and intricate the issues that users of social networking sites confront. Understanding the many types of harm experienced by people in the constantly increasing realm of online contacts in the present atmosphere necessitates exploring the distinctions between cyberbullying and digital bullying.

Social networks have many benefits for both individuals and society, as they facilitate the exchange of culture and knowledge, the access to information, and the use of educational and professional resources. They also play a role in social interaction, job creation, marketing, and trade, as well as forming virtual relationships that replace conventional social ties within a virtual social system that consists of individuals, groups, and organizations that share various personal, social, psychological, ideological, religious, and other factors ( Abdulrahman, 2013 ).

However, social networks also have some drawbacks and risks, as they can be mis-used for destructive, abusive, and violent purposes, such as cybercrime, hacking, terror-ism, addiction, rumormongering, social isolation, psychological problems, virtual communication illusion, privacy violations, and so on ( Zaidi and Banai, 2022 ). One of the negative phenomena that occurs on social media is digital bullying, which is the focus of this study.

Despite the plethora of academic research and literature that has investigated many elements of social networks and the accompanying risks, there is an urgent need for extensive investigations into the specific topic of cyberbullying. Previous research, which has made significant contributions, has explained the larger difficulties faced by social networks ( Ioannou et al., 2018 ; Chan et al., 2021 ; Ademiluyi et al., 2022 ). However, in the contemporary research environment, it is critical to pay special attention to the complex dynamics, fundamental causes, and viable responses to cyberbullying.

The investigation of digital bullying focuses mostly on social media users, as these platforms are the primary venues for the incidence of such abuse. By focusing on this specific demography, it is possible to apply accurate and personalized therapies ( Abarna et al., 2023 ). Given the many dynamics and hazards connected with various online activities, including all internet users in the area of study may possibly reduce the efficacy of efforts. Digital bullying is a unique and dynamic problem that needs specialist solutions and methods to protect people’s well-being, particularly young people who use social media extensively ( Lamba et al., 2016 ; Chen and Luppicini, 2021 ; Nasla et al., 2021 ).

The necessity to address challenges peculiar to Saudi Arabia’s environment prompted experts to investigate the phenomenon of cyberbullying in the country. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has swiftly embraced information and communication technology (ICT), with both positive and bad consequences ( Alzahrani, 2020 ). Digital bullying has become a major cause of worry, negatively impacting those who utilise social media platforms in unique and significant ways ( Fati, 2021 ). The study intends to investigate the specific issues experienced by media users in that nation in order to fill a research gap and provide informative information that may assist build interventions to address the problem of cyberbullying in the Saudi Arabian setting.

The current study aims to provide a more comprehensive and in-depth examination of digital bullying, hence addressing the complexities underlying these prevalent phenomena. While previous research has established a foundation for understanding the whole range of risks connected with social networks, the current study intends to focus primarily on digital bullying ( Jabeen and Treur, 2018 ). The study’s purpose is to make a substantial contribution to the establishment of preventative measures, welfare programmes, and regulations that can effectively reduce the negative impacts of cyberbullying. The objective of this research is to create a more secure and productive environment for everyone who uses the internet.

1.1. Study problem

The phenomenon of bullying has traditionally involved verbal, physical, or social forms of aggression, such as name-calling, beating, or isolating someone from social activities. However, with the advancement of information and communication technology and the emergence of cyberspace and various online platforms that form a large-scale virtual community for many people (such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Telegram, and chat rooms), a new type of bullying has arisen, which is digital bullying. This is the most recent form of bullying that relies on technological means, and thus the confrontation be-tween the bully and the victim has shifted from face-to-face to online in a virtual environment. Since the online space has no geographical boundaries for its participants, it is possible for someone to receive abuse beyond their real community and to experience it in the virtual world. Digital bullying often undermines the dignity of users in a publicly visible way ( Patchin and Hinduja, 2017 ), and other participants can join in the abuse and ridicule by responding to and engaging with the offensive content through negative comments and reposts ( Doll et al., 2017 ).

According to statistics from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 90% of young people around the world have experienced some form of bullying, either psycho-logical or physical ( Al-Qaddouri and Abdelkader, 2020 ). Scientific research also suggests that 7 out of 10 young people have been exposed to online abuse at some point for psychological and social reasons against others with certain characteristics such as race, religion, people with special needs, etc., ( Abu Ghazaleh, 2018 ). Everyone in society has the right to live with equal rights with others without discrimination ( Beran, 2018 ), and it is important to encourage young people to express themselves freely with-out harming others and to promote digital citizenship to contribute to a global society ( Cook et al., 2019 ).

Therefore, digital bullying has attracted great attention from researchers in the educational, psychological, and social fields due to its increase and spread in recent decades due to technological progress and the growing use of young people for various modern technology tools and social media applications. This has resulted in the reproduction of bullying through the online space, which is one of the negative phenomena that entails many negative impacts on various segments of society, whether psychologically, emotionally, socially, or academically ( Pentan and Al-Asmar, 2019 ). It also affects not only the bully and the victim but also extends to the victim’s family and society as a whole. Bullying can change the behavior of the individual victim from a normal person to a person with behavioral deviation to defend against the bullying shown by others towards him. It also reflects on his personal and social life and affects his interaction and family and social relations as well as the achievement of the goals of the group and society alike. Therefore, it is important to study it in a scientific manner to reach proposals that aim to address and reduce it ( Al-Sayed, 2020 ).

Hence, the problem of this research lies in identifying the impacts of digital bullying on social media users by answering the following questions:

• What are the forms of digital bullying among social media users?
• What are the causes of digital bullying from the perspective of social media users?
• What are the impacts of digital bullying on victims, their families, and society?
• Do respondents’ attitudes towards digital bullying differ according to gender and monthly income?

1.2. The objectives of the study

This study seeks to explore the repercussions of digital bullying on social media users (victims, their families and society) and to propose solutions that can mitigate the negative impacts on the victim, his or her family and society.

1.3. The importance of the study

• Digital bullying is a pressing issue at the local, regional, and global levels that demands attention due to its effects on all segments of society, especially the youth.
• The study contributes to the knowledge base on digital bullying through social media platforms by enriching the Arab literature with information about digital bullying in the Saudi context.
• This study is important because it focuses on the youth category, which is a crucial stage for developing social, physical, and psychological skills that are essential for the formation of human personality. They are also the main force in building societies, so it is vital to understand and address the challenges they face.
• The findings of the study are beneficial for policymakers to identify the motives and causes of the rise of digital bullying and its adverse effects on victims, their families and society as a whole, and to devise strategies that can tackle this problem.

1.4. Theoretical framework

Digital development has brought rapid advances in technological means, but this progress achieved by information technology in recent decades has also brought multiple risks and challenges, including digital bullying ( Halachová, 2014 ). This has become one of the most serious threats to young people in the digital space and raises many concerns in society ( Cheng et al., 2018 ).

The research is based on a wide theoretical framework that asserts that a range of elements, such as social, psychological, economic, and technological variables, shape digital bullying, particularly in the setting of social media. The issue is caused by the rapid growth and complete integration of information and communication technology (ICT). This theoretical position contends that the prevalence of cyberbullying is influenced not just by individual characteristics, but also by broader cultural, economic, and technological factors. This research investigates the complicated roots of cyberbullying, the different forms it may take, and the far-reaching consequences it has on the targets, their families, and society as a whole.

1.4.1. Characteristics of digital bullying

Digital bullying differs from other forms of bullying in the degree of danger it poses, because the bully can erase the trace and hide his or her identity. The bullies often use fake names and identities and therefore cannot be verified, which encourages them to continue digital bullying without fear. Moreover, the bullies do not see the direct impact of the harm they cause, which does not deter them from bullying or make them feel emotional remorse ( Guan et al., 2016 ). Digital bullying can also occur anywhere, and a bully can reach a vast number of audiences and access and exploit the information of targeted victims ( Zubaidi and Tariq, 2020 ).

1.4.2. Forms of digital bullying

Due to the development and expansion of the use of the Internet in various transactions, there are multiple forms and types of digital bullying, which are as follows:

• Electronic harassment: sending abusive and insulting messages or threatening messages via email and repeating it.
• Defamation: sending false information or spreading rumors about a person with the aim of harming him or her.
• Impersonation: hacking someone’s personal account and pretending to be him or her to send or post electronic materials to trap or discredit this person.
• Disclosure: sharing someone’s secrets, embarrassing information about him or her, or pictures and posting them on the internet.
• Deception: tricking someone into revealing his or her secrets, embarrassing information about him or her, or pictures in a situation that others do not want to see and then posting them on the Internet or sending them to others.
• Harassment and extortion: sending nasty and insulting messages repeatedly through multiple electronic communication channels to create intense fear in the other party.
• Exclusion: deliberately and cruelly excluding someone from an online group ( Aboulela, 2017 ).

1.4.3. Causes of digital bullying

The phenomenon of digital bullying is attributed to a set of causes, which we review as follows:

• Social causes: disruption of social and family relations digital bullying may result from the presence of deficiencies or defects in the family structure, such as family disintegration problems, which take various forms such as separation, divorce, continuous disputes, the absence of one of the parents from the family, parents’ ignorance of socialization methods, harsh treatment, violence within the home, and the inability to control the behavior of children ( Amer, 2019 ). Frequent exposure to physical harm and harsh treatment in the home leads to children’s tendency towards deviant and delinquent behavior ( Hinduja and Patchin, 2006 ).
• Psychological causes: psychological factors play a major role in shaping bullying behaviors, as they may result from subjective motives stemming from the bully’s personality, which is characterized by aggression and authoritarianism, or a strong physical structure that pushes him or her to show his or her strength, irritability, recklessness and weakness of religious scruples, the desire to surpass the complexities of technical means, passion for collecting and seizing information, envy, jealousy and the desire to take revenge on others ( Abu Ali, 2018 ). In addition to behavioral disorders and the imbalance of the personal structure of the individual and psychological, organic and mental diseases that generally affect the human personality and behaviors because of the mental, psychological or functional disorders that occur in the individual, and this means that there is a relationship between normal and deviant behavior and the health and psychological state of the individual ( Al-Tarif, 2012 ).
• Economic causes: economic conditions play a role in the occurrence of bullying as the bully may feel empowered and in control due to the high economic level. The opposite is also possible, as perhaps his or her belonging to a poor class and the material need causes him or her a sense of inferiority, frustration and weakness, so he or she practices bullying to vent his or her feelings ( Abdulaziz, 2017 ).
• Media and technological causes: the scientific, technological and cognitive revolution has led to the ease of browsing social networking sites by children, adolescents and adults, watching conflicts, quarrels and videos that contain many scenes of violence, watching horror movies, and the spread of electronic games that contain many scenes of violence and abuse and trying to imitate them in their real lives ( Al-Ammar, 2016 ). This implies that violence is normalized as a way of claiming rights. A study supports this claim ( Mohammed, 2012 ). However, there are also technical motives, such as the desire to show technical superiority and the passion for collecting and accessing in-formation. Moreover, there is a lack of information security awareness programs to pre-vent digital bullying, and the laws that deter it are either weak or poorly enforced.

1.4.4. The repercussions of digital bullying

Digital bullying is closely related to everything that occurs on social media platforms, whether through their content or through the communication technologies they use. The language of violence has become the dominant mode of communication and interaction among young people with their friends and others, which ultimately undermines the social network and causes various social and psychological problems that affect not only the victim, but also the victim’s family and society as a whole. This has an impact on the security system of society ( Zaidi and Banai, 2022 ). We will discuss the repercussions of digital bullying on the bully, the victim, their family, and society as follows:

• The repercussions of digital bullying on the victim: bullying has multiple negative consequences for victims, as it may lead to psycho-logical, emotional, and behavioral problems in the long term, such as depression, loneliness, isolation, anxiety, addiction and self-harm. The victim becomes ostracized and un-wanted, in addition to low academic achievement due to dropping out of school or frequent absenteeism or escaping from school out of fear or distress. Furthermore, poor social relations and lack of trust in others make them more susceptible to exploitation and lacking self-assertion skills. They may also experience several psychosomatic symptoms such as headache and abdominal pain. Some may resort to suicide as a way to escape from their suffering. Repeated bullying has long-term adverse effects on victims that last for years. Victims of bullying in their early years are more prone to depression and low self-esteem compared to their peers who have not been bullied ( Penis, 2020 ). The victim may also adopt aggressive behavior and bullying as a result of their exposure to it. The victim’s withdrawal from social activities in their social environment may increase until they be-come silent and isolated. They may resort to suicide, as studies have shown that suicide victims are constantly increasing due to bullying ( Mohammad, 2020 ).
• The repercussions of bullying on bullies: bullying is not only an isolating behavior by its perpetrators, but also part of an anti-social pattern that breaks or weakens the rules that govern it. Bullies are willing to engage in unacceptable social behavior such as assaulting other people’s property, shoplifting, skipping school, and frequent drug use. The effects of bullying on bullies can be presented as outcomes of their behavior in the following points: denial of education, expulsion from school, drug addiction, aggression and involvement in criminal acts, legal violations, constant conflicts with others, vandalism and dropping out of school, and early sexual deviations ( Mohammad, 2019 ).
• The repercussions of digital bullying on the victim’s families: the phenomenon of bullying has many negative impacts on the families of the victims, as they suffer from the consequences of their child being exposed to bullying behavior that affects their health, psychological state and social relations in their family, friends, and society. Sherri (2018) identifies many adverse effects on the victim’s family, such as: the parents’ feeling of helplessness to remedy or improve the situation, feeling lonely and isolated, being preoccupied with the circumstances that their child is going through, and neglecting their health, feeling sad, feeling of failure due to their inability to protect their bullied child.

The family has a vital role in preventing digital bullying by teaching children how to defend themselves, following up and listening to them, supporting them, and working to build a strong personality for them, enhancing their self-confidence and dealing wisely and firmly when they are exposed to digital bullying, and striving to achieve the safe use of social media. The family also plays a role in raising children on human values and morals such as tolerance, equality, respect, love, helping the weak, and others. And ensuring the monitoring of the different behaviors of children at an early age and finding and correcting the wrong behaviors. The family can also take part actively in combating bullying by volunteering with local community institutions that are interested in combating digital bullying through programs and activities that contribute to raising awareness of the phenomenon, its negative effects, and ways to address it.

• The repercussions of digital bullying on society: the repercussions of digital bullying are not confined to victims and their families but extend to society as well. It may cause a disruption in social relations, the spread of hatred and animosity among members of society, and difficulty in social adaptation in school, work, or social environment in general. It also leads to an increase in social problems such as the problems facing security and educational institutions such as academic delay, escaping from school, drug addiction and deviating from social values and norms, regulations and laws through delinquency, crime, and suicide, which require allocating a budget to address and prevent these problems ( Zaidi and Banai, 2022 ).

The practice of aggression towards public property has clear economic effects as well as social ones. It leads to the waste of public money and delays the development plans that the state is pursuing to develop society and its facilities in various economic and developmental fields. But when these plans meet obstacles that hinder progress, the eco-nomic impact becomes evident. The delay of plans financially and temporally is followed by the delay of services that benefit members of society, due to the tendency to repair the damage caused by aggressive behavior on public facilities such as roads, schools, entertainment places etc., which requires harnessing budgets and efforts to address the negative effects that have been reflected on society ( Abu Ali, 2018 ).

1.5. Literature review

The repercussions and effects of digital bullying on social media users have been explored by various researchers in different contexts. This section will review some of the relevant studies and provide a critical commentary on them. The studies include:

Qutb (2022) conducted a social survey to examine the concept of digital bullying among Saudi women at the undergraduate level, using a questionnaire for 788 participants. The study revealed that the main motives and social causes of digital bullying were related to the external appearance and the personal content that women shared on social networks. The study suggested that awareness campaigns, legal sanctions, religious values and self-regulation were important factors to prevent digital bullying. Moirs and Mehrezi (2022) investigated the nature, forms and impacts of Digital bullying, finding that the most common types of bullying were harassment, defamation, identity theft, disclosure of secrets, deception, exclusion and electronic stalking. The study also re-ported that Digital bullying led to various psychological, emotional and behavioral problems for the victims, such as depression, loneliness, introversion, anxiety, addiction, self-harm or suicide. Moreover, Digital bullying affected the victims’ trust in others, social relationships, participation in social activities, school attendance, aca-demic performance and aggression levels. The study proposed several strategies to reduce the prevalence of this phenomenon.

Mahmoud (2021) explored the emergence of Digital bullying and identified the groups most vulnerable to bullying, such as children with disabilities, learning difficulties, introversion or physical differences. The study indicated that Digital bullying had negative effects on the victims, such as spreading rumors, exclusion from the group, psychological problems like frustration, depression and psychosomatic symptoms that could lead to suicide. The study also discussed the causes of bullying, such as emotional deprivation, parental neglect, violent imitation or repression in the environment. The study recommended the importance of designing appropriate pro-grams and guiding parents on how to deal with children ( Mahmoud, 2021 ). Ben Dada and Karim (2021) examined the manifestations of Digital bullying among university students, showing that there were five forms of Digital bullying among this group: exclusion, sexual harassment, inconvenience and privacy violation, insult and threat, and mockery and distortion. The study emphasized the need for developing preventive programs to reduce this phenomenon because of its serious psychological and social effects on the individual and society.

Dalaala and Maghouni (2021) conducted a study to explore the electronic traffic through social media, the role of gender and the time spent by the individual on social media, in influencing the bullying behavior. The study found a statistically significant relationship between the gender variable and the rates of Digital bullying, but no statistically significant relationship between the time spent by the individual on social media and the increase in the rate of bullying. The study recommended the importance of raising the awareness of young people to prevent Digital bullying ( Dalaala and Maghouni, 2021 ). Ben Salem (2020) aimed to identify the level of students’ awareness of the psychological effects of Digital bullying. The study used a descriptive approach and a questionnaire for 150 undergraduate students. The study reported that Digital bullying caused depression, social anxiety, low self-worth, feelings of psychological distress, anger at the aggressor, and serious social problems for the victims. The study suggested proactive strategies to counter bullying.

Mohammed (2020) explored the causes and factors that lead to bullying and the definition of its forms and effects. The study was a descriptive study and used a questionnaire for 242 pre-university students. The study revealed that the causes of Digital bullying were related to parents not monitoring their children’s devices, violent electronic games, violent cartoon films, domestic and community violence, family dysfunction. The study also indicated that the forms of bullying were multiple chat rooms, video watching, phone call, instant messaging, photos, email, impersonation, exclusion or cyber ostracism. The study also reported that the risks of Digital bullying were a sense of fatigue and exhaustion, lack of concentration in studying, feeling up-set, lack of sleep. Zayed (2020) examined the extent to which adolescents were exposed to Digital bullying. The study was a descriptive study and used a survey methodology and a questionnaire for 300 secondary school students. The study showed that the most common forms of Digital bullying that adolescents faced through digital media were the dissemination of personal secrets, opinions and beliefs, temptation to engage in in-appropriate behavior and threat to spread it, threat through digital media, misuse and dissemination of personal photos and videos, sharing an inappropriate video, logging into the personal account and publishing private matters, and receiving in-appropriate text messages from strangers.

Al-Baris et al. (2019) investigated the level of Digital bullying and exposure to it from the victim’s point of view. The study found that Digital bullying was one of the most prevalent behaviors in this era, and it had profoundly serious psychological and social problems with negative consequences on the cognitive, social and emotional development of bullies and victims. Mohammad (2019) conducted a study to identify the reality and forms of Digital bullying among students in the secondary stage, using a descriptive approach and a questionnaire for 132 male students and 127 female students. The study revealed that the most prominent forms of bullying were ridicule, defamation, spreading rumors, publishing disturbing images, harassment, insults, repeated abuse, impersonation, identity theft, disclosure of secrets and electronic stalking. Abu Ali (2018) aimed to identify the social and cultural dimensions of the phenomenon of bullying in secondary schools. The study used a questionnaire for 250 male secondary school students. The study indicated that the phenomenon of bullying was not limited to males only, but also included females. The study also reported that the reasons for the spread of the phenomenon of bullying were social, economic, cultural, and psychological ( Mohammad, 2019 ).

The literature on the study of digital bullying at various levels shows that most of the studies focused on the forms, types and causes of Digital bullying, and some studies dealt with the repercussions of digital bullying on the victim and the bully. The current study is different from previous studies by addressing the repercussions of digital bullying on the victim’s family and society as a whole.

The current study is similar to previous studies in the nature of the methodology used, which is the descriptive approach, and the tool used to collect data and information, which is the questionnaire. The current study is also similar to some previous studies in the sample used to apply the questionnaire to undergraduate students. The current study has benefited from previous studies in forming a comprehensive understanding of digital bullying in general and its repercussions in particular and using the results and recommendations of the studies in writing the theoretical framework for the research, determining the methodology, building the study tool, discussing the results, and enriching the study with references, books, studies and scientific journals.

2. Materials and methods

2.1. type of research.

The current study is a descriptive and analytical study that aims to identify the re-percussions of digital bullying on social media users. Descriptive studies provide information and facts about the reality of the current phenomenon, clarify the relationship be-tween different phenomena and help predict the future of the phenomenon itself ( Pandey, 2014 ). The study also uses the quantitative approach (questionnaire) to collect and describe data numerically and present the results, as well as to extract conclusions, generalizations, and new relationships. The study also reviews previous literature and collects and analyzes data to identify the repercussions of digital bullying on social media users, and then performs statistical processing, analysis, and discussion of the results.

2.2. Method

The study relies on the social survey methodology as one of the main methods used in descriptive analytical studies, which depends on collecting data on a particular phenomenon and analyzing that data to reach results. The social survey focuses on the study of social problems and phenomena, as it covers all aspects of our social life ( Al-Tarif, 2019 ). The study uses the questionnaire to collect data from the sample, as it is one of the most appropriate methods for the nature of this study because it helps in describing the phenomenon under study by providing the necessary data for that. It also enables the researcher to study a small sample of the population and generalize its results to all members of the community concerned with the study ( Al-Maaytah, 2011 ). The sample survey method is one of the most used methods in social research because it saves time, effort, and money within the limits of the capabilities of researchers, in addition to that it comes with accurate results ( Hassan, 2016 ).

2.3. Limits

• Objective limits: The repercussions of digital bullying on social media users.
• Spatial boundaries: A number of universities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University, Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, Umm Al-Qura University, Hail University, Jazan University).
• Human limits: A random sample of male and female students in Saudi universities specified in the study.
• Time limits: Saudi Arabia 2022–2023.

2.4. Study sample

The scientific research in descriptive studies deals with a scientific phenomenon emanating from a large population, and the researcher cannot study all that population, but chooses a representative sample of it ( El-Beltagi et al., 2012 ). To determine the representative sample, the regions of the Kingdom have been divided into five regions: north, south, east, west and center of the Kingdom. These regions can be considered as strata in the first stage (stratified sampling), and all universities in the same region are treated as clusters (cluster sampling) as a second stage. In the third stage, for each region, a random sample of universities (simple random sampling) is selected. As a final stage, a random sample is selected from each cluster, i.e., a random sample of students of both sexes in universities through simple random sampling. This ensures a high degree of randomness and representation of the selected sample of students in different regions and departments ( Al-Tarif, 2012 ). Therefore, a random sample of male and female students was selected in five universities randomly chosen to represent each region of the Kingdom. The universities were Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University, Imam Abdul Rahman bin Faisal University, Umm Al-Qura University, Hail University and Jazan University. The total sample was 640 respondents.

2.5. Study tools

The questionnaire was chosen as the main tool for collecting field data according to the nature and objectives of the study. The questionnaire was prepared based on the theoretical framework and previous studies in this field.

The questionnaire consists of primary data related to gender, monthly income, and 42 statements that measure three main axes:

• Forms of digital bullying among social media users, consisting of 9 statements.
• Causes of digital bullying from the perspective of social media users, consisting of 4 statements.
• Repercussions of digital bullying on victims, their families and society, consisting of 29 statements distributed over three areas:
• Repercussions of digital bullying on social media users, consisting of 10 statements.
• Repercussions of digital bullying on the families of victims, consisting of 9 statements.
• Repercussions of digital bullying on society, consisting of 10 statements.

The response to the questionnaire statements was on a three-point scale according to the Likert method, with three responses: (agree, agree to some extent, disagree), and these three responses take the three scores: (3, 2, 1) respectively. To verify the reliability and validity of the questionnaire, it was applied to the members of the pilot sample consisting of 70 male and female students, and the reliability and validity of this questionnaire were calculated as follows:

2.5.1. Reliability of the questionnaire

The reliability of the Digital bullying survey statements on social media users was calculated by calculating the correlation coefficients between the item scores and the over-all scores of the axis to which the item belongs. The results showed that the correlation coefficients between the score of each item and the total score of the axis to which the item belongs ranged from 0.53 to 0.91, all of which were statistically significant at the level of 0.01 ≥ α, which indicates the internal consistency and reliability of all the statements of the study questionnaire. The reliability of the axes of the questionnaire was also calculated by two methods: Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and Spearman-Brown split-half method. The results indicated that the total reliability coefficients for the first and second axes and the three areas of the third axis of the questionnaire by Cronbach’s alpha method were: 0.930, 0.727, 0.907, 0.896, 0.947 respectively, and by Spearman-Brown split-half method were: 0.955, 0.947, 0.922, 0.900, and 0.955 respectively, all of which were high, indicating the overall reliability of the questionnaire axes.

2.5.2. Validity of the questionnaire

• Apparent validity: the questionnaire was presented to a group of specialized professors in the Department of Sociology and Social Work at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University and Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University to determine the suitability, importance, clarity, and wording of the statements. The questionnaire was revised based on their opinions and finalized.

The validity of the questionnaire statements was calculated by calculating the correlation coefficient between the score of the item and the total score of the axis to which the item belongs, after removing the score of the item from the total score of the axis. This means that the rest of the statements of the axis are used as a criterion for the item. The results indicated that the correlation coefficients between the score of each item and the total score of the axis to which the item belongs (after removing the score of the item) ranged from 0.42 to 0.88, and all of them were statistically significant at the level of 0.01 ≥ α, which indicates the validity of all the statements of the questionnaire.

• Validity of the axes: the validity of the questionnaire axes was calculated by calculating the self-validity coefficient for each axis, which is equal to the square root of the reliability coefficient by Cronbach’s alpha method. It was found that the self-validity coefficient of the questionnaire axes ranged from 0.64 to 0.89, and all of them were high, which indicates the validity of the axes of the questionnaire.

2.6. Statistical methods used to process data

To achieve the objectives of the study and analyze the collected data, various appropriate statistical methods were used using the statistical packages for social sciences (SPSS). A set of statistical methods were used to calculate the reliability and validity of the research tool and answer its questions, and these methods are: Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, Spearman-Brown split-half reliability coefficient, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, frequencies and percentages, means, Chi-Square test, Independent Samples Test, and one-way analysis of variance (One-Way ANOVA) followed by Least Significant Difference (LSD) test to determine the direction of statistically significant differences.

2.7. Life science identifiers

Life Science Identifiers (LSIDs) for ZOOBANK registered names or nomenclatural acts should be listed in the manuscript before the keywords with the following format:

urn:lsid:<Authority>:<Namespace>:<ObjectID>[:<Version>].

3. Results and discussion

Table 1 shows that there is a slight difference between the size of males and females in the sample, although the percentage of females is higher, reaching 56.25%, while the percentage of males reached 43.75% of the total sample size. Regarding the monthly in-come variable, more than half of the sample had middle income (59.4%), followed by low income (28.1%), while the lowest percentage had high income (12.50%) of the total sample size.

Distribution of the study sample by gender and monthly income variables.

Table 2 shows that there are statistically significant differences (at the level of 0.01 ≥ α) between the frequencies of the responses of the respondents in favor of the response (agree) on all statements of the first axis: (form of digital bullying among social media users). This means that the majority of respondents agreed statistically with all forms of digital bullying among social media users. The averages of the statement of the first axis ranged from 2.30 to 2.74 and all these averages fall in the range of response (agree; which ranges from 2.33 to 3), which confirms the agreement of the sample members on all forms of digital bullying among social media users, except for one form of bullying that was partially agreed, which is the item “impersonation.” The highest mean for the statements of the ax-is from the perspective of the sample was 2.74 out of 3 and was for the form of digital bullying (Hostile messages that hurt the feelings of the recipient, such as mocking appearance, name-calling, and so on), while the lowest mean for the statements of this axis was 2.30 and was for the form of digital bullying (impersonation). The results of the study are consistent with the findings of Zayed (2020) , Ben Dada and Karim (2021) , Moirs and Mehrezi (2022) as well as Aboulela (2017) , and Mohammad (2020) .

Chi-square test results to examine the differences between the frequencies of the respondent’s responses to the statements of the first axis (forms of digital bullying among social media users).

*Statistically significant at the level of 0.01 ≥ α.

Table 3 shows the multifaceted factors contributing to acts of violence, encompassing social, psychological, economic, and technological dimensions. These factors include poor social relations, weak family control, exposure to violence in the home or community, mental disorders, jealousy, the desire for attention, a sense of emptiness, income levels, material deprivation, high prices, and the influence of violent media portrayals. The statistically significant difference (at the level of 0.01 ≥ α) between the frequencies of the responses of the respondents in favor of the response (agree) on all statements of the second axis: (causes of digital bullying among social media users) as shown in Table 3 . The average of the statements ranged from 2.31 to 2.82 and all these averages fall within the range of response (agree; which ranges from 2.33 to 3) except for one item that was partially agree, which was for “economic reasons.” The highest mean for the statements from the perspective of the sample was 2.82 out of 3 and was for psychological reasons, followed by social reasons, then reasons related to technological development, while the lowest mean for this axis was 2.31 and was for economic reasons. The results of this study are consistent with both ( Abu Ali, 2018 ; Mohammed, 2020 ; Mahmoud, 2021 ; Qutb, 2022 ) which dealt with social motives and causes for bullying.

Chi-square test results to examine the differences between the frequencies of respondents’ responses to the statements of the second axis (causes of digital bullying among social media users).

**Statistically significant at the level of 0.01 ≥ α.

Supplementary Table S1 shows that there are statistically significant differences (at the level of 0.01 ≥ α) between the frequencies of the responses of the sample members in favor of the response (agree) on all statements of the third axis related to the three areas: (the repercussions of digital bullying on social media users, the repercussions of digital bullying on the families of victims, and the repercussions of digital bullying on society). The mean of the statements of the third axis ranged from 2.44 to 2.83 and all these means are in the range of response (agree). The highest mean for the area of (the repercussions of digital bullying on social media users) from the perspective of the sample was 2.83 out of 3 and was for (low self-esteem and lack of confidence in oneself and others), while the lowest mean for the statements of this area was 2.44 and was for (unwillingness to practice hobbies). On the second area about (the repercussions of digital bullying on the families of victims), the mean ranged from 2.31 to 2.69 and all these means are in the range of response (agree). The highest mean for the statements of the area about (the repercussions of digital bullying on the families of victims) from the perspective of the sample was 2.69 out of 3 and was for (confusion and lack of family knowledge of how to deal with the problem), while the lowest mean for the statements of this area was 2.31 and was for (low family productivity). As for the statement of the third area about (the repercussions of digital bullying on society), the means ranged from 2.54 to 2.80 and all these means are in the range of response (agree). The highest mean for the area of (the repercussions of digital bullying on society) from the perspective of the sample was 2.80 out of 3 and was for (the emergence of bullying and hostile personalities against society), while the lowest mean for the statements of this axis was 2.54 and was for (the spread of a culture of violence as acceptable solutions to social problems). The results of the repercussions of digital bullying on social media users, victims’ families, and society are consistent with the findings of Al-Baris et al. (2019) , Ben Salem (2020) , Mahmoud (2021) , as well as Mohammad (2020) on the various effects of digital bullying on the social and psychological aspects.

To answer the fifth question: do respondents’ attitudes towards digital bullying differ according to gender and monthly income? The Independent Samples Test was used to examine gender differences, and One-Way ANOVA analysis followed by LSD test to determine the direction of statistically significant differences. Table 4 shows that there is a statistically significant difference (at the level of 0.05 ≥ α) between the mean of males and females in: (form of digital bullying among social media users, causes of digital bullying from the perspective of social media users), (the repercussions of digital bullying on social media users), (the repercussions of digital bullying on society) due to the gender variable, as the values of F are statistically significant in favor of the female mean in all cases. We find that female members of the sample of social media users are more aware of the form and causes of digital bullying among social media users, as well as more aware of the repercussions of digital bullying on both social media users and society, compared to males. This result is consistent with ( Dalaala and Maghouni, 2021 ) that indicates a relationship between gender and Digital bullying. The results also showed that there were no statistically significant differences in each of the (repercussions of digital bullying on the families of victims) due to the gender variable, as the value of T is not statistically significant. This indicates that respondents’ attitudes towards digital bullying related to the re-percussions of digital bullying on the families of victims do not differ according to gender.

Results of the Independent Samples Test to examine the different attitudes of respondents towards digital bullying according to gender.

*Statistically significant at the level of 0.05 ≥ α; **Statistically significant at the level of 0.01 ≥ α.

The phenomenon of cyberbullying may have a substantial impact on a person’s psychological health, perhaps having a detrimental impact on their mental health. It’s important to remember, however, that cyberbullying is not regarded a direct cause of suicide. Suicidal intents and behavior involve a larger range of components that extend beyond the confines of cyberbullying. The study reveals statistically significant gender variations in respondents’ understanding of the many forms, fundamental causes, and repercussions of cyberbullying. Female participants were shown to have a higher level of awareness of these issues than their male counterparts. Furthermore, respondents with middle-income levels were shown to be more educated about the causes and effects of cyberbullying than those with low- and high-income levels. However, the respondents’ monthly income had no discernible effect on their attitudes about cyberbullying. This research study throws light on the prevalence of gender and wealth disparities in awareness levels, which helps considerably to our knowledge of digital bullying in the Saudi Arabian context.

4. Conclusion

The study aimed to identify the repercussions of digital bullying on social media users and used a questionnaire for 640 respondents from students in Saudi universities specified in the study. The study reached the following findings:

• Regarding the forms of digital bullying, the study found that the majority of respondents agreed statistically with all forms of digital bullying among social media users. The highest percentage was for the item “hostile messages that hurt the feelings of the recipient, such as mockery of appearance, insult, etc.,” while the lowest mean was for impersonation.
• Regarding the causes of digital bullying, the results found that the majority of respondents agreed statistically on all causes of digital bullying among social media users. The highest percentage was for psychological reasons, followed by social rea-sons, then reasons related to technological development, and in last place economic reasons.
• As for the repercussions of digital bullying, the results of the study showed that the majority of respondents agreed statistically on all the repercussions of digital bullying on social media users, victims’ families, and society. With regard to the repercussions of digital bullying on social media users, the highest percentage was for the item “low self-esteem and lack of confidence in oneself and others,” while the lowest percentage was for the item “not wanting to practice hobbies.” With regard to the re-percussions of digital bullying on the families of victims, the highest percentage was for “family confusion and lack of knowledge of how to deal with the problem,” and the lowest percentage was for the item “low family productivity.” For the repercussions of digital bullying on society, the highest percentage was for the item “the emergence of bullying and hostile figures against society,” while the lowest percent-age was for the item “the spread of a culture of violence as acceptable solutions to social problems.”
• The results also showed that female social media users were more aware of the forms and causes of digital bullying among social media users, as well as more aware of the repercussions of digital bullying on both social media users and society, com-pared to males. However, there was no difference in awareness of the repercussions of digital bullying on the families of victims according to gender.
• The results found that middle-income social media users were more aware of the causes and repercussions of digital bullying among social media users, as well as more aware of the repercussions of digital bullying on victims’ families and society, compared to both low- and high-income monthly earners. However, there was no difference in attitudes towards forms of digital bullying among social media users according to monthly income.

5. Recommendations

Based on the findings of the current study, it offers a number of recommendations to reduce the repercussions of digital bullying as follows:

• Awareness campaigns: implement wide public awareness initiatives aimed at reaching a varied population of social media users, regardless of gender. These programmes must prioritize teaching users on the many signs of cyberbullying, its underlying causes, and any possible consequences. People can increase their ability to detect and respond to incidents of cyberbullying by raising their awareness.
• School-based programs: to reduce cyberbullying, educational institutions such as schools and universities should adopt instructional activities. The primary purpose of these activities should be to give children with the knowledge and skills they need to spot and report incidents of cyberbullying. Furthermore, it is critical to emphasize the need of maintaining a secure digital environment for everyone who uses online platforms.
• Psychological support: people who have been the victims of cyber bullying should seek counselling and psychological help. These programmes can assist people in coping with the emotional and psychological consequences of cyberbullying, such as poor self-esteem and confidence.
• Parental involvement: encourage parents to become involved in their children’s online activity. To adequately assist their children if they are victims of cyberbullying, parents must get extensively informed on the indicators of cyberbullying and obtain the information and abilities required to do so. It is critical to promote effective communication between parents and children.
• Social media platforms: collaborate with social media platforms to improve their reporting and moderation functions. It is vital that platforms respond swiftly by taking appropriate action against abusers and that users have simple access to cyberbullying reporting tools. Stricter regulations aimed towards combating cyberbullying can successfully deter future perpetrators.
• Research and monitoring: given the continuing changes in the online world, it is vital to pursue more study on the dynamic nature of cyberbullying. Anti-bullying activities must be reviewed and evaluated on a regular basis to guarantee their continued relevance and efficacy.
• Community support: to help victims and their families, it is essential to establish support networks throughout localities. These networks have the ability to provide advice, emotional support, and access to resources that can help people deal with the challenges brought on by cyberbullying.
• Curriculum integration: include online safety, excellent digital manners, and responsible internet usage training modules in the entire curriculum framework. We can help children acquire a more complete awareness of safe online behavior by teaching them these skills at a young age.
• Legal measures: the inquiry focuses on the implementation of legislation regulations meant to promote accountability for persons who participate in extreme incidents of internet bullying. Legislation might involve the development of legal frameworks that designate cyberbullying as an actionable offence, punishable by warnings, fines, or other legal ramifications.
• Longitudinal research: encourage the conduct of long-term research to analyse the long-term impacts of cyberbullying on people and society. Gaining a full grasp of the long-term repercussions of cyberbullying can assist in the development of more effective preventative and intervention techniques.

Data availability statement

Ethics statement.

The studies involving humans were approved by International Review Board (IRB) Statement: IRB registration number with KACST, KSA: HAP-01-R-059. The studies were conducted in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements. The participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study.

Author contributions

GA-T: Methodology, Project administration, Validation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. HA-S: Methodology, Supervision, Writing – review & editing, Data collected by a team.

Funding Statement

This research was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, through the Research Funding Program, Grant No. (FRP-1443-16).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher’s note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Supplementary material

The Supplementary material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1280757/full#supplementary-material

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Bullying on Social Media Platforms

Introduction, effects of cyberbullying, works cited.

Bullying on social media platforms is a phenomenon that usually occurs on popular sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. It is generally associated with teens who make emotionally hurting and mean comments about their peers on social media platforms. It can be through mean comments on photos that include fat-shaming or body-shaming remarks about an individual’s physical features. Moreover, they also send mean messages by ganging up against one another. The trend has a great impact on the psychological, emotional, and social health of the victim. It leads to adverse effects such as irritation, depression, anxiety, as well as social isolation (Dey and Gupta 89). All these effects have a tremendous impact on the victim’s social relationships and academic performance. Even though statistics indicate that social media bullying is declining, these platforms have made it easier for teenagers to engage in this demeaning trend. Bullying can be eradicated by enacting effective rules and regulations to monitor children’s activities on social media and instituting restrictions on certain activities.

Studies indicate that cyberbullying results in increased psychological and emotional effects, especially among the youth. Today, a large percentage of youth use social media platforms for various reasons. With the recent technological developments in social media networking sites, the youth use these sites for entertainment, knowledge, and communication, among other activities. Presently, social networking sites are used by people to ensure their status. In the past, it was difficult for people to recognize themselves and build their class and social identity (Batool et al. 133). Social media sites are also used as platforms where people can make new friends. However, there are situations where people use these sites negatively by misusing other people’s information, creating rumors, and issuing threats that affect the victim.

Rules and regulations that are introduced to monitor Bullying on social media sites may not eradicate Bullying mainly because Bullying requires a more holistic approach to eradicate it. Rules may be effective in preventing some forms of Bullying, but the anonymity of social media makes the enforcement of these rules to be difficult. The factors that turn ordinary teens into bullies should be addressed at home and at school.

Cyberbullying leads to psychological and emotional disturbances that affect academic performance and create relationship gaps. Further, such misuse can lead to depression, insecurity, tension, and irritation among youngsters (Batool et al. 134). The use of these sites to gratify the needs of the aggressor harms the victim’s academic performance. As a result, they lack concentration in their academic work due to negative messages that affect them psychologically. All these can be avoided by making sure the use of the internet by youngsters is regulated. Cyberbullying creates relationship gaps where the victim isolates himself from friends due to rumors and negative publicity. They view friends in a negative light and avoid further socializing to protect themself. As a result, it prevents young adults from social development and maturity due to isolation and withdrawal (Bonanno and Hymel). Such incidences can be reduced if the youth are taught appropriate measures to deal with the internet. For example, they should know when to raise the red flag when issues of cyberbullying arise. The emotional and psychological disturbances faced by victims of cyberbullying affect their social activities and aggravate their academic performance.

Bullying on social media platforms can be remedied through various strategies, including monitoring the online activities of youngsters. Guardians need to be at the forefront of watching what their children do online, especially on their social media accounts. For example, they can easily supervise their children’s activities by befriending them and following them on social media platforms. It is an effective way of monitoring their children’s usage of such sites Cyberbullying on Social Media Among College Students (Johnson et al.). Equally important, they should be able to log on to their children’s social media profiles if possible. In this manner, they would be able to closely monitor and supervise the social media activities of their children and hinder any forms of cyberbullying before they become worse. The intervention of parents can help reduce incidences of cyberbullying because they will be able to provide appropriate guidance and counseling in the event of breaches.

There is also a need to create awareness, especially among youngsters and other social media users of all ages, about the rules governing social media platforms. All social media users should know the policies governing social media use and the penalties that can be imposed in case of a breach. All social media platforms have rules and regulations governing their use that should be adhered to. For instance, the Hateful Conduct Policy by Twitter provides that users are obligated to report posts that breach the rules and regulations governing its use. Some of these rules include promoting violence, attacking or threatening others, and inciting harm to a person based on their ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, nationality, gender identity, gender, age, religious affiliation, disease, or disability (Notar et al. 138). This policy stipulates that posts that have been reported to have violated the rules and their context are considered before they are removed or the account suspended or closed. Likewise, Facebook has the same feature that allows easy reporting of posts and photos that violate its rules. Once sensitized, it becomes easier for users to report such violations, including cyberbullying. In this manner, incidences of cyberbullying will drastically reduce as a result of sensitization.

The block feature in many social media platforms can help effectively to reduce Bullying on social media sites. It is a simple feature that can be used to block social media followers on various platforms. It can help a victim of cyberbullying rid their profile of disturbing messages and create a safer and more pleasant social media experience. For example, Instagram users can turn off notifications on posts to prevent malicious users from making threats, leaving hurtful comments, or engaging in body shaming commentaries. In addition to that, users should also be careful about who to allow to access their profiles. It is the user’s responsibility because such features are not available on most social media platforms such as Twitter. However, sites such as Facebook have strict privacy settings for users that keep cyberbullies away. Similarly, Instagram makes it easier for users to change their profiles from public to private. So, it is the responsibility of the user to ensure that they protect themselves from cyberbullies by taking advantage of the security features provided by social media platforms.

Finally, cell phone monitoring programs can also be used to help parents to block or filter content by the use of keywords. Monitoring can be done using software services that can drastically reduce cyberbullying by offering child-friendly internet. They are effective in quarantining, blocking, and reporting offensive messages, e-mails, and other communications. They also give the parent or school administration the ability to intervene in any form of violation. These programs can quickly identify potential cyberbullying without the need to check communication devices (Notar et al. 141). It helps stem cyberbullying that originates from other locations apart from home. Even though they provide limited protection, such programs can teach youngsters to refrain from cyberbullying or respond to such threats. It is a valuable tool that can help victims of cyberbullying store evidence that can be used to prosecute cyber bullies.

To conclude, youngsters’ use of the internet has led to an increase in bullying on social media sites which has some adverse effects. Cyberbullying through social media platforms has had negative emotional, psychological, and social impacts among youngsters leading to poor academic performance and an increase in the social gap. However, it can be remedied through various intervention measures such as supervision, monitoring programs, and sensitization. The anonymity of social media would make enforcement of these rules to be hard; therefore, a more holistic home and school-based approach to eradicate Bullying need to be applied. All these interventions can go a long way in reducing incidences of cyberbullying among teenagers and help them positively use social media sites.

Batool, Sumera et al. “Bullying in Social Media: An Effect Study of Cyberbullying on the Youth.” Pakistan Journal of Criminology, vol. 9, no. 4, 2017, pp. 119-139.

Bonanno, R. A., and Hymel, S. “Cyber Bullying and Internalizing difficulties: Above and Beyond the Impact of Traditional Forms of Bullying.” Journal of Youth and Adolescence, vol. 42, no. 5, 2013, pp. 685-697.

Dey, Veto, and Yogita Gupta. “Cyber Bullying: Causes, Phychological Impact and Remedies.” Journal of Educational Administration , vol. 47, no. 5, 2009, pp.652-665.

Johnson, Lakitta D. et al. “Cyberbullying on Social Media Among College Students.” Ideas and Research You Can Use: VISTAS, 2016.

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StudyKraken. (2022, September 10). Bullying on Social Media Platforms. Retrieved from https://studykraken.com/bullying-on-social-media-platforms/

StudyKraken. (2022, September 10). Bullying on Social Media Platforms. https://studykraken.com/bullying-on-social-media-platforms/

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Opinion: Why 42 state attorneys general are fighting to hold social media platforms accountable

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Frantz is a trial lawyer and a fellow and associate of the American Board of Trial Advocates. He lives in San Diego.

It’s no surprise that the increase in social media engagement by kids has led to significant mental health challenges among our children. Educators are seeing higher proportions of anxiety and depression in students — proportions that severely affect their performance and success in the classroom.

Millions of students across the country are subjected to harmful and exploitive material that all too often leads to body dissatisfaction, depression and self-harm. It is an endless spigot of corrosive material fueled by addictive algorithms that target our children and adolescents precisely during critical stages of brain development when they are most vulnerable to harmful social media platforms. As a grandfather of young children, I believe that the deliberate targeting of youth through these algorithms is wrong.

The weight of the evidence proves that adolescents who spend more than three hours per day on social media face double the risk of experiencing poor mental health outcomes such as depression and anxiety. A 2021 survey found that, on average, teens spend 3.5 hours a day on social media. Although 64 percent of adolescents are “often” or “sometimes” exposed to hate-based information through social media, over half report that it would be hard to give up social media. At a time when one-third or more of girls aged 11-15 say they feel “addicted” to certain social media platforms, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has warned that social media may perpetuate disordered eating behaviors, social comparison and low self-esteem, especially among adolescent girls.

How can we expect students to learn and perform in this environment? The answer is we can’t.

At Frantz Law Group, we have taken up the battle against social media platforms on behalf of over 900 school districts with 5 million students enrolled from 38 states throughout the country. The lawsuit seeks to hold Meta, TikTok, Google, Snap and their related companies accountable for knowingly causing harm to children using their products and for the failure to warn of the risks associated with their platforms.

Frances Haugen, a former Meta employee , testified before Congress that the company’s internal research indicated how harmful their products are to the mental health of child users, especially teen girls. These companies are making billions of dollars off the backs of our kids through their algorithms that fail to warn users and parents of the harm they cause.

They know there is sex trafficking on their platforms. They know students have committed suicide because of things that they have read on social media. Yet the companies aren’t willing to make the needed changes on their own.

In 2023, the U.S. surgeon general issued a national advisory on the youth mental health crisis, noting that social media is an important driver of the crisis. “Children are exposed to harmful content on social media, ranging from violent and sexual content, to bullying and harassment,” said Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. “And for too many children, social media use is compromising their sleep and valuable in-person time with family and friends.”

Our lawsuit is at the forefront of a growing movement seeking to hold social media companies accountable for their manipulative algorithms and their negative impact on users. The litigation seeks accountability and change in social media behavior to mitigate the ongoing damage in school districts nationwide.

Forty-two states’ attorneys general have joined in the fight to hold social media platforms accountable. As legal proceedings unfold, the outcome of this lawsuit should herald a new era of accountability and responsibility on the part of social media companies, ultimately leading to significant safety measures in the way these platforms operate and affect our children.

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Finland School Shooting’s Motive Was Bullying, Police Say

The police said the motive emerged during interviews with the student, who after the shooting also threatened students heading to another school.

By Johanna Lemola and Emma Bubola

Johanna Lemola reported from Helsinki, Finland. Emma Bubola reported from London.

The 12-year-old boy who opened fire at his school in Finland on Tuesday, killing a schoolmate and injuring two others, has offered an explanation for the shooting: He was bullied.

The police said the motive emerged during interviews with the student, who had transferred to his school, north of Helsinki, at the beginning of the calendar year. After the shooting, the police said, the boy also threatened students heading to another school.

The boy, who cannot be criminally charged because of his age, was placed in the custody of social welfare authorities, the police said.

“This incident is deeply upsetting,” Finland’s education minister, Anna-Maja Henriksson, said in an interview on Wednesday. “We have to do more in the society to prevent bullying.”

A number of public officials said it was too early to know exactly what set off the shooting, which resulted in the death of another 12-year-old boy and injuries to two girls of the same age. But many joined in calling for more concerted efforts to address mental health problems among young people, and to combat school bullying.

In the Finnish news media, one editorial called for “an iron grip on the sickness of children and young people,” and others demanded more assurances from the authorities about school safety. The Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat published guidelines to report bullying, because “the responsibility always lies with adults.”

A 2023 government survey showed that about eight percent of young people reported being bullied in Finland, an increase over the previous year.

“We have done a lot of things to make things better,” said Katri Kalske, a deputy mayor for education in the city of Vantaa, where the shooting took place, citing the introduction of lessons about children’s emotions and other initiatives.

“Sadly,” she added, “They haven’t.”

Tightening gun ownership laws has been all but absent from the debate in Finland, which has one of the highest rates of firearm possession in Europe.

Finland has about one gun for every three people, according to the 2018 Small Arms Survey , but its rate of firearms-related deaths is a small fraction of that in the United States, according to the World Population Review .

The discrepancy, experts say, stems from Finland’s tight regulations over who can obtain a weapon, and from the two countries’ contrasting cultures.

Finland’s extensive gun ownership is related to its deeply ingrained hunting culture and its sporting habits, they say, rather a sense that it is a fundamental right aimed at self-protection.

Permits for firearms can be granted only to people who can demonstrate “an acceptable purpose of use” and are considered fit based on their health and behavior. Many pistol and revolver owners must also prove that they continued practicing hunting or shooting sports to keep their license.

“In general our control is working quite well and gun safety is at a high level,” said Mika Lehtonen, the chief of firearms administration for the national police.

Still, questions remained over how a 12-year-old child gained control of a gun.

The police said that the weapon was a revolver that belonged to a close relative, and they were investigating how the child came to possess it. That could result in a violation for the licensed owner.

Emma Bubola is a Times reporter based in London, covering news across Europe and around the world. More about Emma Bubola