59% of US Teens Have Experienced Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying includes anything from name-calling to spreading rumors online. A study from Pew Research shows that 59% of US teens have experienced some form of cyberbullying.

Smartphones and social media have led to a rise in cyberbullying. Name calling is the most prevalent with 42% of teens reporting that they’ve been called an offensive name online. 32% have had rumors spread about them online. The six primary cyberbullying behaviors are:

• Offensive name-calling
• Spreading of false rumors
• Receiving unsolicited explicit images
• Controlling questions by someone other than a parent
• Physical threats
• Having explicit images of them shared without consent

39% of girls say they have had rumors spread about them online. Girls are also more likely to have explicit images sent to them.

Teens who are online constantly are more likely to be cyberbullied. For example, 67% of teens who report being online constantly have been harassed online compared to the 53% who use the Internet several times a day or less. Parents are faced with the challenge of educating their child about online conduct.

Additional findings include:

• Texting and digital messaging remain the primary mode of communication for teens. 25% have received unsolicited explicit images while 7% have had explicit images of themselves shared without their permission.
• 90% of teens consider online harassment a problem and a majority don’t believe that authority figures are doing enough to end cyberbullying issues.
• 60% of parents worry about their child being cyberbullied.

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