## Cyberbullying On Social Media

At this stage in the development of social media platforms and worldwide internet usage, you’ve probably heard of cyberbullying. To put it simply, ‘[cyberbullying](https://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/what-is-it)’ is the use of technology to bully someone online - either through harassment, embarrassment, rude and offensive comments, or ‘trolling’, with the aim of shaming or scaring those targeted.

In the past, bullying may have taken place in the schoolyard or the workplace, and it used to be much easier to spot. What’s so scary nowadays is that social media platforms can be used - sometimes anonymously, sometimes in a more blatant manner - to bully a victim 24/7. There’s just no escape from it - a bully can attack at any time of day or night. Cyberbullying on social media has taken over as the new form of physical bullying.

Cyberbullying can affect a victim’s self-esteem, self-confidence, social behavior, school work, self-worth, and self-awareness, and lead to extremities such as self-harm and in the worst cases, even suicide.

## Social Media Cyberbullying Statistics

According to a recent Pew Research Center study that focused on social media cyberbullying statistics, almost half of US teenagers aged 13-17 say they are online “almost constantly”. The study also shows that the most popular social media platforms among this age group are YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.

Over [50% of kids in the United States](https://www.npr.org/2019/10/31/774838891/its-a-smartphone-life-more-than-half-of-u-s-children-now-have-one) have a mobile phone device by the time they are 11.  95% of teens in the U.S. are online, and the [vast majority](https://cyberbullying.org/Cyberbullying-Identification-Prevention-Response.pdf) choose their mobile device as their preferred method of accessing the Internet - which in turn suggests that the use of these devices is the most common way to be cyber bullied.  

As of 2021, over 45.5% percent of middle- and high-school-aged kids in the US reported experiencing cyberbullying - a shockingly high rate.  And among social media platforms, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat are the ones with the [highest rate](https://enough.org/stats_cyberbullying) of cyberbullying cases.

## Effects of Cyberbullying on Social Media

Now that we’ve established what cyberbullying on social media is, it does beg the question, what effects is this having on our society? Worryingly, there’s a new buzzword in town: ‘cyber violence.’ 

Due to the way that humans can now interact with each other, it’s not just physical violence that poses a threat. The nature of abuse has transfigured into cyber violence. ‘Cyber violence’ is the upper echelon of cyberbullying. Cyber violence can affect anyone but unfortunately, the nature of gender-based violence means that at the moment, women and girls are the most likely victims.  

Women and girls are now having to deal with ‘digital assaults’ that result in permanent damage - they can often be either too embarrassed or ashamed to deal with their experience and so in many cases, there is no recourse.  There’s also a very real worry that these digital fists will be the forerunners to physical violence.

The most notable forms of cyber violence against females are currently:
- Non-consensual image sharing
- Non-consensual video sharing 
- Online intimidation and threats via email or social media platforms
- Online sexual harassment, or ‘sextortion’
- Stalking, including the use of tracking apps and devices 
- Impersonation
- Economic harm via digital means

These activities can all lead to sexual exploitation and abuse. Additionally, the online damage is usually irreparable - if a non-consensual, offensive image is posted on the internet, it’s almost impossible to remove it. The notions of ‘sharing’ and ‘screenshotting’ mean that once an image is posted on the world wide web, it’s always there. 

‘Revenge porn’ is another form of cyber violence, whereby images are used and shared on the internet without the person’s consent, to damage their reputation or humiliate or coerce them. And though revenge porn is carried out by someone the victim knows, other acts of cyber violence involve hackers stealing and distributing images without the victim knowing or consenting - and then ‘victim shaming’ them should they find out.  In a sick kind of ‘finders keepers’ fashion, there is a philosophy that anything appropriated on the internet is fair play - but this shouldn’t be allowed to be the case. 

Research by the World Health Organization has estimated that one in ten women has already experienced a form of cyber violence since the age of 15. If we are to assume that Internet access is now a human right - especially as livelihoods depend on its usage - then we need to make sure that cyberspace is a safe place to be. 

The European Council Commissioner for Human Rights [reported](https://www.coe.int/en/web/commissioner/-/no-space-for-violence-against-women-and-girls-in-the-digital-world) in March 2022 that:

>“The lack of comprehensive and accurate data collection in this area results in information being fragmented and incomplete, but the little we do know suffices to conclude that the magnitude of digital violence against women and girls and ensuring impunity remains colossal, having an impact on society as a whole.”

In the UK, good news comes in the form of the [Online Safety Bill](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/online-safety-bill-supporting-documents/online-safety-bill-factsheet), which reached the UK parliament this December in an effort to make the digital world a safe and empowering space for users. Acts such as upskirting, downblousing, and uploading non-consensual photographs will be criminalized for the first time. Platforms likely to be accessed by children will have a legal duty to protect young people using their services.
Likewise, even websites directed at adults will have to ‘address named categories of legal but harmful material accessed by adults, likely to include issues such as abuse, harassment, or exposure to content encouraging self-harm or eating disorders.’ Websites will have to start taking accountability for what they are posting, or what users are posting on their sites. By pushing these businesses to take responsibility for their users’ antics, governments hope to lessen the effects of cyberbullying on social media.

The Online Safety Bill will also impose a duty of care on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to prevent users from being exposed to illegal content. Any platforms which fail to protect users will need to answer to the regulator and could face fines of up to 10% of their revenues, or even be blocked.

In the words of the Human Rights Commissioner, there should be ‘no space for violence against women and girls in the digital world.’ As parents especially, our job is to create a safe environment for our children to be in, and a better world for their future. The battle to criminalize more of these activities and keep people safe online is paramount - this should be legislation that every country in the world is pushing for and adopting.

## Cyberbullying Examples on Social Media

The push for further legislation protecting online users from cyberbullying has been exacerbated by recent examples of cyberbullying on social media that have produced tragic results. In 2019, [Channing Smith](https://edition.cnn.com/2019/09/30/us/channing-smith-suicide-cyberbullying-tennessee-trnd/index.html), a 16-year-old from Manchester, Tennessee, took his own life on September 23 after two classmates publicized screenshots of explicit text conversations he had with another young man, outing him as bisexual. 

[McKenna Brown’s](https://www.abcactionnews.com/community/you-are-not-alone/pinellas-mother-says-cyberbullying-played-a-part-in-daughters-death) mother reported the changes that her daughter underwent in terms of self-confidence and mental well-being, ultimately leading to her suicide in August 2022, after a compromising non-consensual photo of her was shared online. And the case of [Amanda Todd](https://bc.ctvnews.ca/cyberbullying-case-b-c-teen-the-victim-of-persistent-campaign-of-sextortion-trial-hears-1.5934921), who committed suicide in 2012 after being the victim of online sextortion, continued up until this year, as her abuser only faced trial in June 2022. 

## Cyberbullying and Cyber Violence: What Do Parents Need To Know

If you are worried your child is experiencing cyberbullying: 

- Communicate: Use open-ended questions to get your child talking and ask how they’re feeling. Listen without judgment, let your child know that you support them, and make sure they know you will help stop the bullying.
- Block the Bully: Help your child block the bully on social media sites and messaging apps.
- Report It: If your teen is being cyberbullied, [report](https://cyberbullying.org/report) it to the website or app where it’s happening.
- Seek Professional Help: If you or your child is feeling overwhelmed, you can look to professional help and support.

The use of parental control apps, such as [FamilyKeeper](https://familykeeper.reasonlabs.com/), can also help parents monitor what their child may be experiencing online. Parents can set up offensive keyword alerts and image monitoring. Additionally, parents can block unknown contacts from messaging their child’s device. For more information on FamilyKeeper parental control app, visit: [https://familykeeper.reasonlabs.com/](https://familykeeper.reasonlabs.com/)

Cyberbullying can affect a victim’s self-esteem, self-confidence, social behavior, school work, self-worth, and self-awareness, and lead to extremities such as self-harm and in the worst cases, even suicide.

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Cyberbullying on Social Media: When Does It Become Violent?

Wednesday, October 12th has come to be known as National Stop Bullying Day. A little brief history for you: 

‘In 2009, eighteen sixth-grade students from St. Stanislaus Kostka declared October National Stop Bullying Month, the second week of October National Stop Bullying Week, and Stop Bullying Day on the second Wednesday of October.’

While originally motivated to prevent bullying towards children, the advent of cyberbullying, bleeding into other arenas like the workplace, has actually given rein to anti-bullying for people of all ages.

## When did bullying become cyberbullying?

The move from physical bullying to cyberbullying really got underway in the 2010s, when smartphones became mainstream and social media platform accessibility exploded. Anyone anywhere can view, post and comment online – and as such, it’s opened users up to being extremely vulnerable.

## What is cyberbullying?

Stopbullying.gov defines cyberbullying as ‘bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets.’ 

Cyberbullying involves sending, posting, commenting or sharing derogatory, false, or nasty content about someone, whether it’s text or images, in order to deliberately harm or humiliate them. It can often be done anonymously, using a fake profile, or by internet ‘trolls’. With new awareness of the harm it can inflict, these days cyberbullying may cross the line into unlawful or criminal behavior.

## Where can cyberbullying occur?

Unfortunately, there are many outlets for cyberbullying: 

🙁 SMS, and other messaging services

🙁 Social media platforms e.g. Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

🙁 Chatrooms or other forums where people can view, participate in, or share content.

🙁 Connected online games

As parents or teachers, one of the most worrying things about cyberbullying is that it can be happening under our noses and we may not even know.  Class WhatsApp groups, your child’s social media accounts, online chat rooms – unless you are constantly supervising every single message or photo that enters your child’s phone (which let’s be honest, they may not appreciate), it’s not so easy to detect if someone is being harassed or bullied.

What can you do to commemorate National Stop Bullying Day?
You may see the hashtag #StopBullyingDay trending on social media – join the conversation and get informed about the dangers of bullying in all its forms – and how to recognize where and when it may be happening.

This may also be the time to rethink what we as parents can do to prevent cyberbullying in all of its forms. Using a parental control app that can identify offensive keywords or images, and alert you if such a thing occurs, is an important step to take in defense against cyberbullying.

FamilyKeeper was developed with these challenges in mind – providing parents with peace of mind that their child can navigate the internet without being susceptible, in a safe, age-appropriate way.

If you have other concerns, or are looking for advice surrounding cyberbullying, you are most welcome to join [Digital World Parenting](https://www.facebook.com/groups/dwparenting) – an online discussion forum for parents, where you can get expert advice, and join the conversation regarding all parenting issues in the cyber world.

Wednesday, October 12th has come to be known as National Stop Bullying Day.

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National Stop Bullying Day: How Can You Do Your Part?

_**“Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never harm me”**_

Unfortunately, this age-old adage is no longer true – and in fact one of the most harmful scenarios these days is cyberbullying and trolling.

The increase in social media channels and internet use, coupled with the sheer amount of time spent online, are both huge factors in the advent of cyberbullying. Screen time has increased dramatically since the covid-19 pandemic hit, with kids aged 8- 10-years-old spending around 6 hours a day online, and kids aged 11- 14-years-old spending around 9 hours a day online.

Kids are also accessing the internet at a younger age – even if they don’t own a device themselves, many parents let their kids dabble on their own tablets or smartphones.

As a result, cyberbullying is also beginning at a younger age – and even scarier, research has shown that the effects of bullying can still be seen over four decades later. 

Cyberbullying can happen to anyone using social networking sites. Harassment via social media is causing huge amounts of stress, anxiety and mental health issues, especially amongst teenagers.

Your child may enjoy the benefits of social media platforms like TikTok,  Snapchat, Instagram etc. They may be using these sites to make new friends, post photos, and stay up-to-date with social trends. 

But these platforms are the easiest places for cyberbullying to take place. More often than not, parents have no idea what kind of content their child is being exposed to, or who their child has connected with on social media. 

Bullies take advantage of this: they can set up fake accounts to hide their identity, and then they attack by making insensitive, hurtful and insulting comments on other people’s pictures and posts. When cyberbullies don’t use their real identities, it becomes easy for them to target anyone as they know they’re unlikely to be caught and held accountable. This adds to the victim’s feelings of helplessness. 

According to DoSomething.org, a US-based non-profit fighting for social change, “4 out of 5 students (81%) say they would be more likely to intervene in instances of cyberbullying if they could do it anonymously.” It’s a sad irony that cyberbullies thrive on anonymity – and their would-be opponents would prefer the shield of anonymity before they act. There’s a fear around intervening and standing up to the bullies – but this is exactly what needs to happen in order for us to nip bullying in the bud.

## What is International Stand Up To Bullying Day?

International Stand Up to Bullying Day is a semi-annual event to raise public awareness around bullying in all its forms. The event takes place in schools, workplaces, and organizations in 25 countries around the globe on the third Friday of November to coincide with Anti-Bullying Week, and then again on the last Friday of February.

Supporters of Stand Up To Bullying Day wear pink shirts, an initiative started in 2007 by Travis Price and David Shepherd, two Nova Scotian students who took a stand for a fellow student who was bullied for wearing a pink shirt to school.

When International Stand Up to Bullying Day first burst onto the scene, the main focus was bullying within schools. But over the last decade and a half, as cyberbullying has increased exponentially, the need to stand up to bullying in all its forms has become even more prevalent.

## How Can We Stand up to Cyberbullying?

### Education

Opening up the conversations around what is acceptable or unacceptable to post on social media is the first step. Body-shaming, revenge porn, hurtful comments, embarrassing photos – don’t do to someone what you wouldn’t want them to do to you. 

Parents, teachers, schools, universities and other educational institutions have a responsibility to try to stamp out bullying in all its forms. Organizations such as the Anti-Bullying Alliance offer resources and tools to implement anti-bullying programs.

### Don’t Be a Bystander

For every generation: If you or someone you know has been a victim of bullying, cyber or otherwise – or you are aware of someone doing the bullying – it’s important to speak up. There are ways to do this tactfully, in order for the situation not to escalate – but standing by and doing nothing is not an option. 

Do not encourage bullying and do not participate in it. Instead, try and find ways to support the victim.

Parents, teachers, guardians, social workers, friends – encourage your kids to find someone who they feel comfortable speaking with. Cyberbullying can also easily happen amongst adults as well – it’s something to be aware of at any age.

### Provide Tools to Cope

As a parent, you need to give your kid the tools to cope with cyberbullying. We need to give youngsters the confidence to disclose any worries they may have, keep the lines of communication open, and provide kids with an understanding of their own self-worth.

When it comes to cyberbullying in particular, a parental control app is a great tool to help families combat cyberbullying together. An app such as FamilyKeeper is designed to pre-empt and prevent cyberbullying by offering parents alerts when incendiary keywords are used, and notifying parents about specific websites and social media behaviors.

This International Stand Up To Bullying Day, let’s try to increase awareness surrounding bullying and cyberbullying in any form, and take active steps to prevent it from happening.

International Stand Up to Bullying Day is a semi-annual event to raise public awareness around bullying in all its forms.

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Don't Be a Bystander: It's International Stand Up to Bullying Day!

Did you know that 65% of kids have experienced cyberbullying?

The scary thing about cyberbullying is that it can happen to anyone using social networking sites – for three main reasons:

◼️ Time spent on screens and social media has drastically increased  – on average 7.5 hours a day

◼️ 56% of children are being exposed to so much online content, much of it inappropriate

◼️ Bullies take advantage of anonymity on social media platforms – 2020 alone saw almost 2 billion fake profiles on social media.

Our goal is to prevent your child from experiencing cyberbullying. After extensive research surrounding the causes, the symptoms and the antidotes, we’ve put together 5 Pillars of Cyberbullying Prevention for parents to easily implement in the fight against cyberbullying:

⭐Perceive 

⭐Prepare

⭐Pre-empt

⭐Protect

⭐Parental Control Apps

Follow these 5 steps to keep your children safe, and keep your mind at ease.

## 1) Perceive

Are we aware of what’s going on around us? 

There are some symptoms that kids display if they are experiencing cyberbullying – including:

- Withdrawing from family and friends
- An unexplained decline in school grades
- Refusal to go to school
- Signs of depression or sadness
- Angry or upset behavior after using their phone or being online

Often it’s a lack of communication that can cause the first warning signs to develop into something even more serious. How many kids approach a parent when something suspicious or hurtful is happening online? Would they confide in someone else, like a friend or teacher?

Communication and trust are your top tools to making sure your child feels they can approach you to talk about any worries.

## 2) Prepare

Parents and children should both be aware of possible dangers.

The Parent: Educate yourself regarding the apps and platforms. How are they used? What are the dangers? Are there privacy controls? 

Check out what safeguards are available on these sites: for example, Snapchat has changed it’s ‘Quick Add’ friends suggestion to make it impossible to add users under 18, unless there are a certain number of friends in common.

The Child: Speak to your children before they even begin to use social media and online chats.  – it’s crucial that you explain to your child why they should be careful about what they post online. Have conversations with your child to discuss appropriate online etiquette, how we speak to others online, and what messages or images are appropriate to send.

## 3) Pre-Empt

Educational institutions should be clamping down before cyberbullying occurs.

We all need to work together – parents, teachers, guardians, governing bodies – to battle cyberbullying. Many countries around the world are now passing legislation to make cyberbullying illegal and encouraging social media platforms to impose more safeguards.

Without embarrassing or drawing drawing unwanted attention to your child, there are some tactful ways to get involved:

◼️ Speak to your child’s school and check what kind of workshops around this topic they may be running – do they discuss it during Circle Time?  

◼️ Promote zero-tolerance policies for cyberbullying 

◼️ Encourage early intervention in schools – there may be warning signs occurring in the classroom or the playground: tears, withdrawn behavior, kids refusal to join others at break etc.

◼️ Create a culture of responsibility – bystanding is not an option

## 4) Protect

If your child HAS been exposed to cyberbullying, they may be under a great deal of emotional strain. It’s difficult to watch your child hurting inside – and no one wants to think of their child as a bully either. You and your child both need support and guidance on what to do next.

How should you respond to a cyberbully? We know it’s easier said than done – but there are a few things you can do to stop cyberbullying in its tracks. First and foremost: your child should know that it’s not their fault – no one asks to be bullied, and no one deserves to be victimized. Together with your child, you can take some of these steps:

◼️ Block the contact

◼️ Report them to the platform moderator

◼️ Get outside help – speak to a family member, friend or teacher

◼️ Update privacy settings to a level where only people your child knows can interact with them

## 5) Parental Control Apps

One of the most significant steps you can take to prevent cyberbullying is to use a parental control app, as it can help you to understand what your child may be experiencing online. Studies have shown that cutting your child off from online activity completely is not the answer – social media, instant messaging and online gaming are some of the primary ways in which kids connect to others. Restricting technology or taking away their device only isolates them more, and is often a reason why kids won’t report cyberbullying.

Instead, using a parental control app can help you empower your child, and navigate online activity together, in a safe way.

Thousands of families are already using the FamilyKeeper parental control app every single day, to help their kids navigate the dangers of the online environment. 

With FamilyKeeper, you can:

☑️ Receive notifications and real-time alerts if offensive language is used

☑️ Monitor photos and saved images on your child’s device

☑️ Track conversations and content across a range of social media platforms

☑️ Set screen time limitations 

And more!

For further information, or to download the app, visit Google Play Store. 

_An earlier version of this article appeared in https://medium.com/reasonlabs_

We’ve put together 5 Pillars of Cyberbullying Prevention for parents to easily implement in the fight against cyberbullying.

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#Cyberbullying