With the vast majority of teens spending hours upon hours in the online world, teen cyberbullying has become rampant. Social media and other online forums offer opportunities for teens to bully their peers without facing real-life repercussions. Less online supervision and increased stress among this age group have also contributed to high rates of teenage cyberbullying.
Even without a physical component, cyberbullying has a significant negative impact on teens. It causes distress and can exacerbate symptoms of teen anxiety, teen depression, and teen isolation. Moreover, victims of cyberbullying are four times as likely to engage in suicidal thoughts or attempts.
What You’ll Learn
- What is teen cyberbullying and how is it different from traditional bullying?
- Where does teen cyberbullying most often occur?
- What are the latest statistics on teen cyberbullying?
- How does cyberbullying impact teen mental health?
- What steps can parents and teens take to prevent and stop cyberbullying?
Quick Read
Teen cyberbullying is online harassment that occurs on social media, gaming platforms, and messaging apps. Unlike traditional bullying, it can happen anonymously and at any time, making it hard for teens to escape. Common tactics include posting cruel comments, spreading rumors, sharing private photos, impersonation, and threats, all aimed at embarrassing or harming peers.
Research shows cyberbullying is widespread and harmful. About 46% of U.S. teens report being harassed online, with older teens and Black teens at higher risk for explicit or racially motivated abuse. Victims often experience depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and suicidal thoughts, and studies suggest online harassment can impact emotional well-being more than in-person bullying.
Parents and teens can take steps to prevent and respond to cyberbullying. Open communication, careful privacy settings, and reporting abusive content are essential. Teens should avoid engaging with bullies and share any incidents with trusted adults, while professional mental health support can help those affected recover and build resilience.
What is Teen Cyberbullying?
Teenage bullying is when a bully uses physical strength or social influence to intimidate a perceived weaker person. Teenage cyberbullying involves the same patterns of intimidation but takes place where young people interact online: digital devices, such as cellphones and computers, and online interactions on social media and gaming platforms. An online environment intended to create connections can turn into a dangerous and damaging space for teens.
Cyberbullying typically takes the form of a teen sending or posting harmful or false content about a peer, or sharing another teen’s personal or private information, to cause embarrassment or humiliation. For example, a cyberbully might share an awkward picture of another teen, or a post taken out of context.
TikTok cyberbullying usually takes the form of sharing a humiliating video or making mean comments on other users’ videos. Cyberbullying can also include being called offensive names online. In addition to the social media sites people use most frequently, online bullying also takes place via instant messaging apps or text messages between young people.
Teen Cyberbullying Statistics
A report from the Pew Research Center found that 46 percent of US teens (ages 13–17) have been bullied or harassed online. Teens in the survey reported on distinct types of cyberbullying they had experienced. The report found that different age groups and ethnic groups had slightly different cyberbullying experiences.
Both older and younger teens reported being the target of name-calling or rumor spreading. However, older teens were twice as likely as younger teens to have been sent explicit images they didn’t ask for, a type of online bullying referred to as cyberflashing. Older teens were also twice as likely to have had someone share explicit images of them without their consent (also known as “revenge porn”). Furthermore, Black teens were about twice as likely as Hispanic or White teens to have been bullied online due to their race or ethnicity.
The Mental Health Effects of Cyberbullying
Online harassment does significant psychological and emotional damage. Research shows that adolescents who experience cyberbullying are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, loneliness, suicidal behavior, and physical symptoms triggered by mental health issues. Moreover, young people who perpetrate cyberbullying have higher rates of substance use, aggression, and delinquent behaviors.
Here are some recent statistics on the mental health impacts of cyberbullying on teens.
- Teen cyberbullying victims are four times as likely to engage in self-harming or suicidal behavior vs. those who were not cyberbullied.
- In one study, 93 percent of cyberbullying victims reported adverse mental health effects, primarily feelings of sadness and hopelessness.
- Two-thirds of students who experienced teenage cyberbullying say that it “really affected their ability to learn and feel safe at school.”
- One-third of all cyberbullying victims experience at least one symptom of stress.
- 66 percent of female victims have feelings of powerlessness because of cyberbullying.
- Both targets and perpetrators of online harassment are more likely to have low self-esteem.
Furthermore, researchers have found that being a victim of cyberbullying has a more negative effect on adolescents’ social and emotional well-being than traditional bullying. Given these disturbing statistics on teenage cyberbullying, parents, teens, school administrators, and policymakers need to work together to end online harassment.
Where Does Teen Cyberbullying Happen?
Unlike face-to-face teenage bullying, cyberbullying creates a sense of distance—in both time and space—between bullies and their victims. This gap gives bullies the illusion of anonymity, thus increasing their tendency toward even harsher harassment. Places where cyberbullying occurs among teens include the following:
- Social media platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and YOLO (a question-and-answer app that teen cyberbullies use to shame and embarrass vulnerable adolescents, by asking hurtful questions about them)
- Text messaging on cell phones and other devices, including both one-on-one messages and group messaging
- Gaming forums or during online video game play, where teens engage with gaming characters in multiplayer formats.
- Instant messages delivered via social media messaging features, smartphone apps, and other messaging services
- Anonymous messaging apps and sites like Kik, Sarahah, and Askfm, which allow for messages and feedback without identifying the source
- Email, although this is less common, is now viewed as somewhat old-fashioned for teens.
To combat cyberbullying and other abusive online behaviors, some platforms have developed stricter policies and reporting platforms. For example, Instagram has a page with specific guidelines where people can report Instagram fraud. And Snapchat has created a Snapchat Safety Center that makes reporting any abuses on the platform faster and easier. There is also a TikTok Safety Center that provides general cyberbullying safety tips.
Teen Cyberbullying Methods
Many different types of cyberbullying happen online among students in middle, primary, and high school. The most common teen cyberbullying tactics include:
- Posting comments about a teen online that are cruel, hurtful, or embarrassing
- Posting an embarrassing picture or video of a teenager is particularly common among teen girls
- Starting rumors about a teen online that damage their reputation
- Ask nasty questions that are designed to hurt their feelings
- Posting hateful slurs or comments about a teen’s race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or ethnicity online
- Threatening online to hurt a teen, or encouraging them to self-harm or to kill themselves
- Posing as someone else online or using fake accounts to solicit personal or false information about a teenager, including impersonating a teenager online
- Doxing (from the word “documents”)—online harassment in which a teen’s personal information is made public, including addresses, social security numbers, credit cards, and phone numbers. This can lead to identity theft.
What makes cyberbullying particularly insidious for teens is that it can happen anywhere, at any time, and the perpetrators can be either known or anonymous.
What Parents Can Do to Stop Social Media Harassment
The best approach for preventing teen cyberbullying on TikTok, Snapchat, and other apps is to talk to kids about what they’re experiencing. By having ongoing open communication, asking questions, and listening closely, parents and mentors of teens may uncover valuable information.
Parents also need to watch for signs of bullying and help teens take steps to stop online harassment. Here are some cyberbullying prevention strategies:
- Encourage teens never to share their passwords, private photos, or personal data online. This can help prevent fake social media accounts, such as those used for Instagram fraud.
- Remind teens to think before they post. If they are upset or angry, they need to pause and wait before engaging with social media.
- Remind teens of how quickly online images and information can be spread. When they share something, it might be shared with anyone.
- Advise teens to consider how they would feel if someone said that about them when posting or sending a message.
- Coach teens to take steps to prevent future cyberbullying and social media harassment by managing safety features across their social media platforms.
Parents can also use TikTok safety features like Family Pairing, which allows them to control how long a teen can spend on TikTok each day, limit the appearance of content that may not be appropriate, and restrict or turn off direct messaging. Moreover, TikTok just expanded this feature by adding advice for parents on how to approach conversations with teens about digital literacy and safety.
What Teens Can Do to Combat Cyberbullying
Here are some positive responses and proactive steps that teens can take:
- Foremost, teens should not participate in cyberbullying by “liking” or commenting on images, posts, or videos that humiliate others.
- Teens who experience TikTok cyberbullying or another form of online bullying need to let adults know what is happening. Such feedback is not “tattling,” but rather preventing damage and distress.
- Also, teens should report cyberbullying harassment. Given the growing awareness around teen cyberbullying, most platforms have reporting mechanisms for online bullying as well as infringements like creating fake online profiles.
Addressing the Mental Health Impacts of Cyberbullying on Teens
Teen cyberbullying and social media harassment can trigger or exacerbate adolescent mental health issues. If teens are experiencing suicidal thoughts or other symptoms of depression or anxiety, treatment with a mental health professional is essential.
Contact PrairieCare today to learn more about how we guide young people on a path to healing. Call us today at 952-826-8475.
Frequently Asked Questions About Teenage Cyberbullying
What is cyberbullying?
- Cyberbullying is when a person uses digital devices—like phones, computers, or gaming platforms—to intimidate, harass, or embarrass another person. It follows the same patterns as traditional bullying but takes place online, often through social media apps, text messages, or gaming chats.
Where does cyberbullying happen the most?
- Cyberbullying occurs across many online platforms where teens connect, including TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and gaming forums. It can also happen through instant messaging apps, group texts, and anonymous sites.
How common is teen cyberbullying?
- According to a Pew Research Center survey, 46% of U.S. teens (ages 13–17) have experienced some form of online harassment. Older teens are more likely to encounter explicit content, such as cyberflashing or the sharing of private images without consent.
What are the mental health effects of cyberbullying?
- Teens who are targeted by cyberbullying are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, loneliness, low self-esteem, and suicidal thoughts. Research shows that cyberbullying victims are four times more likely to engage in self-harming or suicidal behavior compared to teens who haven’t been bullied.
How can parents help prevent teen cyberbullying?
- Parents can protect their teens by maintaining open communication about their online lives, encouraging safe social media habits, and regularly monitoring privacy settings. Remind teens not to share passwords or private images, to pause before posting, and to report any instances of harassment.
Sources
- J Med Internet Res. 2018 Apr;20(4):e129.
- Front Psychol. 2018 Mar; 9: 367.
- Adolesc Health Med Ther. 2014; 5: 143–158.