U.S. News: Cyberbullying & the Reasonings Behind It

    Bullying has reached an extreme thanks to social networking. Before technological advances, school bullies were a common problem among young kids and teenagers. Nowadays, bullies target them via the internet.According to Verywell Mind, "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." As a result of cyberbullying, both the bully and the victim experience negative outcomes such as developing a mental illness, long-term emotional effects, and even suicide. While typical bullying still occurs, cyberbullying is a more prominent form of bullying today because it is easier to accomplish, done to maintain a popularity status, and out of pure boredom and amusement.       
    Cyberbullying is a form of bullying that occurs over digital devices such as computers and cell phones. This could take place through texting and social media, such as Tik Tok, Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc. It includes posting or sending false, harmful, or provocative information about someone on a recurrent basis. Individuals may argue that the victim could block them, but any of the posts will remain on the internet forever; they will never truly go away. The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund claims, "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."

This image from Teen Esteem represents a graph of specific percentages of social media platforms that people get cyberbullied on. 

    In 2020, a student at the Minersville Area High School took his life because of an incident of cyberbullying. A mother in the community made a post on Facebook claiming that she witnessed a member of the football team drive past the elementary school and verbally harass a younger kid as they passed. She continued stating that he drove a white, lifted pickup truck. Throughout the comments, there were grown adults bullying this kid. They did not have any solid evidence to prove that this post or person was real, but that did not stop them. There were random comments such as "He should be ashamed of himself; he needs to be punished for his actions," and "How would he like it if I bullied him myself." Some individuals even threatened the young boy. 

    It turns out that the post owner misunderstood and misheard the whole situation. The lifeless boy was yelling out his window to one of his friends in a friendly, messing-around manner. He was not verbally harassing him as the post owner had accused him. The post turned out to be a false rumor with ample threatening and hateful comments. A poor, innocent child took his life due to being cyberbullied by fake news. 

    Today, older adults may argue and say that we are a “soft generation” and that we need to “man up” and figure it out on our own. They may claim that cyberbullying is just words on a screen; there is no physical harm done, but that is incorrect.Generally, cyberbullying leaves the victim with no choice but to endure the abuse and harassment; they have no way of escaping it. In real life, bullying in some cases may come to an end, but that is not always the case with cyberbullying. Since the internet never really turns off, this form of bullying may be relentless and endless. The Verywell Mind states, "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." Many reasons can lead to cyberbullying, one of which being that it is an easier way to harm people.

    This form of bullying allows the bully to cyberbully anonymously. It is easy for individuals to type, post, or send anything they would like about anyone and anywhere they please without receiving any feedback from their victim. Unlike traditional bullying, the bully does not have to physically come face to face with their victim. In ordinary bullying, the bully must encounter their victim's face, revealing their identity. Cyberbullying possesses the unfortunate advantage of anonymity, making it easier to commit. Some people do not even cyberbully because of it being easier; some do it just for the sake of boredom. 

This is an image from Stop Bullying that shows a teenage girl looking at her phone in distress because she is being cyberbullied. 

    Coronavirus caused millions of people all of people all over the country to quarantine inside their own homes. During this time period, significant amounts of people quickly became bored and used social media as an outlet to express their feelings and hatred towards other people, the pandemic, and much more. Stop Out Bullying states, " during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increase in kids and teens using digital platforms." Due to an increase in the usage of smartphones and social media, people who are prone to bullying others are more likely to cyberbully. 

    It is quite clear that cyberbullying is a significant issue in the United States. Data from Cyberbullying Research Center states, "the percentages of individuals who have experienced cyberbullying at some point in their lifetimes have nearly doubled (18% to 34%) from 2007-2016." The United States needs to find a solution to this problem. Many solutions could be offered, such as decreasing screen time among teenagers and young adults, remaining silent if we have nothing nice to say, and many more. What would you do if this happened to you or someone you know? Nobody should have to deal with this type of abuse. Nobody should have to worry about possibly being cyberbullied. Stand up today and make a change; do not remain silent anymore. You could be the start to stopping cyberbullying. 

This image from PSA Financials symbolizes a hand telling you to stop or put an end to cyberbullying.