(ReliableNews.org) – The rise of the Internet and social media has been beneficial in many ways, and some might say it has changed the world. However, there is a dark side to it all. Countless stories have made the headlines over the years about children who have ended their own lives or fallen into depression over cyberbullying. A new survey is shedding some light on the problem.
On December 15, the Pew Research Center released its “Teens and Cyberbullying 2022” survey. The results found 46% of respondents revealed they have experienced cyberbullying. Thirty-two percent of teens said the most common form of bullying they dealt with online was offensive name-calling. The second most common form, experienced by 22% of respondents, was others spreading false rumors about them.
That’s not all. Frighteningly, 17% of teens said they’d received explicit images from people without asking for them. And 7% admitted they’d had explicit images of themselves shared without their consent.
NEW: 46% of teens ages 13 to 17 report ever experiencing at least one of six cyberbullying behaviors we asked about. https://t.co/YK71axCBYs
— Pew Research Center (@pewresearch) December 15, 2022
According to respondents, 66% of teens said they feel their parents are doing a good job of addressing online harassment and bullying. One-in-five kids think they are doing an excellent job. Devorah Heitner, who wrote “Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World,” told The Washington Post that parents might not be aware their kids are being bullied.
Parents with kids who have access to the internet should specifically ask their children if they are being bullied or harassed online. It’s also recommended that they monitor their kids’ online footsteps.
Has your child ever been the victim of cyberbullying?
Copyright 2022, ReliableNews.org
