Key Findings:

-Nearly half of young people (47%) have received intimidating, threatening or nasty messages online
-Children and young people are using social media for longer periods and using multiple profiles
-Underage (U13) use of social media is commonplace
-There is a connection between intensive social media use and mental ill health.
(Safety net: The impact of cyberbullying on children and young people’s mental health, February 2018)

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• More youths experienced cyberbullying on Instagram than any other platform at 42 percent, with Facebook following close behind at 37 percent. Snapchat ranked third at 31 percent. While the survey participants use YouTube more than any other platform, the video-focused social media was only responsible for 10 per cent of the reported cyberbullying.

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Seventy-one per cent of the survey participants said that social media platforms do not do enough to prevent cyberbullying.  (The Annual Bullying Survey 2017, Ditch the Label - UK Study).

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• A 2016 report from the Cyberbullying Research Center indicates that 33.8% of students between 12 and 17 were victims of cyberbullying in their lifetime. Conversely, 11.5% of students between 12 and 17 indicated that they had engaged in cyberbullying in their lifetime. (Cyberbullying Research Center, 2016).​

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• In a random sample study, over 14% admitted to cyberbullying another person, with spreading rumours online, via text, or email is the most common form of bullying. (Cyberbullying Research Center, 2015).

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• Girls (40.6%) are much more likely to be victims of cyberbullying than boys (28.8%). Girls also dominate social media, while boys tend to play videogames. (Cyberbullying Research Center, 2015).

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• A 2015 random sample study of 11-15-year-olds in the Midwest found that over 34% reported being the victim of cyberbullying in their lifetime.  (Cyberbullying Research Center, 2015).

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• 54% of teens surveyed have witnessed online bullying: Cox. (2014) "Cox 2014 Internet Safety Survey." The Futures Company. 

  • 39% on Facebook

  • 29% on YouTube

  • 22% on Twitter

  • 22% on Instagram

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• Teens who report being bullied say it was because of their: 

  • 61% appearance Media Center

  • 25% academic achievement/intelligence

  • 17% race

  • 15% of sexuality

  • 15% financial status

  • 11% of religion

  • 20% other Cox. (2014) "Cox 2014 Internet Safety Survey." The Futures Company. 

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• Of the students that reported cyberbullying (Zweig, Dank, Lachman & Yahner, 2013):

  ·   25% of teens on social media reported having an experience resulting in a face-to-face confrontation with someone.

  ·   13% reported concern about having to go to school the next day.

  ·   12% reported being called names they didn’t like via text messages.

  ·   11% received a text message from another student intended to hurt their feelings.

  ·   8 % reported having physical altercations with someone because of something that occurred on a social network site. 

  ·   6%reported another student sending an instant message or chat to hurt their feelings.

  ·   4% reported having something put on a profile page to hurt their feelings.

  ·   3% reported receiving a nasty email from another student.

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• 66% of teens who have witnessed online cruelty have also witnessed others joining; 21% say they have also joined in the harassment. (PEW Internet Research Center, FOSI, Cable in the Classroom, 2011)

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• Only 7% of U.S. parents are worried about cyberbullying, even though 33% of teenagers have been victims of cyberbullying. (PEW Internet and American Life Survey, 2011)

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• Bullying over texting is becoming much more common. (University of New Hampshire, 2011)

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