In this article, we will reveal 11 surprising cyberbullying statistics and facts.
They are as the following:
- 71% of young generations say they are concerned about cyberbullying.
- From 2007 to 2016, twice the people (18% to 34%) have experienced cyberbullying at some point in their lifetime.
3.Nearly 42% of kids have been bullied online and almost one in four have had it happen more than once.
- Girls are about twice as likely as boys to be victims and perpetrators of cyberbullying.
5.80% of teens say that others cyberbully because they think it is funny.
6.Teachers report that cyberbullying is their #1 safety concern in their classrooms.
- 75% of young people with autism aged between 12 and 20 had experienced bullying.
8.Instagram is the social media platform with the highest rate of cyberbullying.
- More than half the children observe cyberbullying online, and yet 95% of them ignore this behavior.
- Students are almost twice as likely to attempt suicide if they have been cyberbullied.
- 37% of bullying victims develop social anxiety.
- Sexual minorities are more susceptible to cyberbullying.
13.Children who are bullied online are nine times more likely to be victims of identity fraud.
- Gamers are much more likely to be both victims and perpetrators of cyberbullying.
- Bullies often end up with a criminal record.
The Internet has been the most useful technology of modern time.
But everybody’s had at least one sort of unpleasant experience there.
As of January 2021, there were 4.66 billion active internet users worldwide, which makes 59.5 percent of the global population!
In the United States:
93% of American adults use the Internet.
Among them, 99% of young adults aged from 18 to 29 years.
Cyberbullying, our topic in focus, is a relatively NEW phenomenon.
Read about the meaning of cyberbullying.
But it is keeping more and more people on their toes.
Just look at these statistics:
- 71% of young generations say they are concerned about cyberbullying
Bullying has moved beyond schools, and has made its way into digital platforms.
The perpetrator feels safe and confident behind the computer, making it easier for him to bully in a more vicious manner.
People, mainly YOUNGER GENERATIONS and FEMALES, are targeted by harassment, sexting, identity fraud, embarrassing unwanted contact and threatening messages.
What’s more, it has gotten worse:
- From 2007 to 2016, twice the people (18% to 34%) have experienced cyberbullying at some point in their lifetime.
Yes, it’s unfortunately true.
Also, consider this:
In 2022: 73% of students felt they have been cyberbullied in lifetime
In 2021: 36.5%
In 2022: 44% said that it has happened in last 30 days
In 2021: 17.4%
Source: https://cyberbullying.org/new-national-bullying-cyberbullying-data
Cyberbullying increased DRAMATICALLY during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Cyberbullying during the Covid-19 pandemic
With all the lockdowns, kids started to spend more time than ever on digital devices.
You can already guess what this meant…
L1ght analyzed millions of websites and platforms, and the results were devastating.
In 2020, there was a 70% increase in the amount of bullying, hate speech and harassment among teens and children during online chats.
So, how many people are affected by Cyberbullying?
- Nearly 42% of kids have been bullied online and almost one in four have had it happen more than once.
That is almost half of the children!
When it comes to teens, a majority of them (59%) have experienced cyberbullying.
Pew Research carried out a study in 2018, and found the most common specific types of cyberbullying:
Offensive name-calling (31%)
Purposeful embarrassment (26%)
Physical threats (14%)
Stalking (11%)
Sexual harassment (11%)
Sustained harassment (11%)
- Girls are about twice as likely as boys to be victims and perpetrators of cyberbullying.
It’s true. Kids are the most vulnerable to the ling-term impacts of cyberbullying.
But kids are not the only victims.
(18–25 years) – 40.5 percent
26–35 years – 24 percent
36–45 years – 15.1 percent
46–55 years – 13 percent
66+ years – 6.5 percent
This must be devastating to learn about.
Because now we know, that cyberbullying does NOT go away as we get older.
- 80% of teens say that others cyberbully because they think it is funny.
According to DataProt, MANY teens still think of harassment and insults as jokes, and commit cyberbullying because they think it’s normal, without knowing what effects it’ll leave on their victims.
Cyberbullying IS NOT OK.
It is strongly advised to educate both yourself and your children about the effects of cyberbullying.
6.Teachers report that cyberbullying is their #1 safety concern in their classrooms.
A 2019 Google survey reported this.
Before the Internet, kids at least caught a break when they had evaded their bully and made it home. Now, with the Internet added to it, and due to its anonymous nature, bullies have become more relentless.
It is up to the school staff and parents to teach children that bullying in any form is UNACCEPTABLE, and work together to prevent this heinous act.
In the U.S. state of Louisiana, 21.2% of students in grades 9 through 12 have been victims of cyberbullying – the highest percentage in the United States.
- 75% of young people with autism aged between 12 and 20 had experienced bullying.
Another disturbing fact about cyberbullying.
Autistic people can be more at risk of being bullied than others. However, your child may not be able to communicate this to you.
Moreover, since it is difficult for them to read facial expressions and body language, it can be difficult for them to identify bullying. They might mistake it for a simple, friendly joke.
Instagram is the social media platform with the highest rate of cyberbullying.
According to DitchtheLabel.org, by 2017, Instagram leads online platforms in bullying.
78% of young people use Instagram, while 42% of them are experiencing cyberbullying there.
Platform – bullying rate
Instagram 42%
Facebook 38%
Snapchat 31%
YouTube 10%
9.More than half the children observe cyberbullying online, and yet 95% of them ignore this behavior.
Yellowbrick says that 55% of children who witness cyberbullying on the Internet, but almost all of them choose to ignore and not to tell their parents.
This could be attributed to them not knowing the effects of cyberbullying.
Or in some cases, they don’t feel comfortable enough to open to their parents.
So, be sure to tell your children about how their actions make others feel, and sit down and talk with them so they feel like they can talk to you about anything.
- Students are almost twice as likely to attempt suicide if they have been cyberbullied.
The Megan Meier Foundation has done researches and found that the number of teens who contemplate suicide has doubled when compared to 2008.
“Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 and 34”.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
- 37% of bullying victims develop social anxiety.
https://www.todaysparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/social-anxiety-disorder-does-your-teen-have-overwhelming-social-anxiety-1280×960.jpg
Among the many effects of cyberbullying, social anxiety is one of the most damaging ones that victims of cyberbullying suffer from.
Cyberbullies target their victims’ self-esteem, making them prone to depression and afraid of social interactions.
Statistics from research findings have shown that some other issues that arise from being victim to cyberbullying are:
Emotional and physiological damage to defenseless victims
Depression
Psychosocial difficulties including behavior problems
Drinking alcohol
Smoking
Low commitment to academics
- Sexual minorities are more susceptible to cyberbullying.
Between 28% to 48.95% of sexual minority youth are affected by cyberbullying.
We were terrified when we found out about these numbers.
Also:
In 2019, U.S. students who self-identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) were reported to have been bullied & cyberbullied almost twice as much as their straight peers.
LGB students: Bullied on school property (32%) – Cyberbullied (26.6%)
Straight students: Bullied on school property (17.1%) – Cyberbullied (14.1%)
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, victimization related to sexual identity is linked to:
Increased depressive symptoms
Suicidality
Substance abuse
All the traumas and hurt feelings aside, it hinders them academically.
In the same 2019 study, more LGB students (13.5%) were not going to school because of safety concerns (compared to 7.5% straight students).
- Children who are bullied online are nine times more likely to be victims of identity fraud.
Javelin Strategy & Research’s statistics of cyberbullying from 2017 tell us that:
Over ONE MILLION children are victims of identity fraud: Thieves use other people’s information and create an alternate identity for themselves. As a matter of fact, millions of people have it happen to them each year.
The costs of children identity fraud amounted to $2.6 billion in 2017: The cost of child identity fraud is significant and takes a tremendous toll on families, costing parents alone $540 million.
- Gamers are much more likely to be both victims and perpetrators of cyberbullying.
Games are fun. But aggressive behavior may arise from the competitiveness in some video games, especially multiplayer ones.
Many kids spend concerning numbers of hours each day playing games.
This obviously effects their brain and behavior in the long run.
Statistics on cyberbullying in a time span of 30 days in 2018 showed that:
21% of gamers bullied others VS. 11% of non-gamers
25.9% of gamers likely to be victims of bullying VS. 15.7% of non-gamers
- Bullies often end up with a criminal record.
Nearly 60% of boys who researchers classified as bullies in grades six to nine were convicted of at least one crime by the age of 24.
Webroot says that according to a study conducted in Finland:
40% had three or more convictions by age 24
39 % were involved in frequent fighting
46 % reported having been injured in a fight
Often enjoy a level of popularity and peer status
Have trouble making and keeping friends, particularly girl/boyfriends
Usually do poorly in school
Are in general not liked by their teachers
Are at increased risk for abusing alcohol and drugs
Why it should be STOPPED:
Bullying can turn into a habit.
The teenager who once bullied his fellow classmates will grow up to abuse their wife or husband and children.
They will go on to ruin their relationships and the lives of others.
But if they learn to truly respect others and their emotions, and understand how their actions make others feel, cyberbullying can be stopped there.
