Bullying doesn’t stop in person. Unfortunately, it follows us online as well. Social media is one of the places where cyberbullying exists.
How is Social Media Being Affected By Cyberbullying?
Social media is a place loved by so many people around the world. It is a place where we can post whatever we want and share our thoughts. We can make our own accounts and use it as we want. It is a place with a lot of freedom.
However, that comes with a cost.
Due to the fact that social media is online, it is easy for anyone to make an account and hide their identity. We wouldn’t know what they look like, what their name is, or who they even are. This makes it easy for people to hide behind their screens and it gives them a lot more confidence than it would in person. Therefore when people post things, it becomes easy for these people to leave hate comments, bully them, or even threaten them.
Cyberbullies project their insecurities on people. Especially if they are jealous. If they see something they like, it’s easy for them to make the person feel bad about it or about themselves because they are spreading the hate anonymously.
Since social media mostly consists of people posting mostly good things about their lives, it’s easy for cyberbullies to feel jealous and feel the need to attack them.
Cyberbullies could also make a fake account to bully a person they don’t like. This could be a ‘friend’ of theirs, a colleague, a classmate, etc. Since the person won’t know it’s them they feel the courage to say what’s on their mind without holding back.
Another reason why cyberbullies bully people is because they are living a miserable life and they thrive on putting others down to make themselves feel better.
According to research, every day, 38% of people come across cyberbullying on their social media. That is a pretty high number, especially since it is happening daily.
How is Cyberbullying on Social Media Bad?
- It can lead to self-harming.
- It can lead to suicide or suicidal thoughts.
- It can lead to bad mental health problems.
- It can cause a sense of fear.
- It can cause anxiety.
- It can put you in danger.
What Can Be Done to Stop Cyberbullying On Social Media?
You can make all of your accounts private. This way only the people that you know, trust, and are close to are able to view your posts. This will take away any negative comments because it’s only your friends who are able to see your posts.
You can block any hate you get online. This is to stop seeing the cyberbully and to get them off your page. Once you block them on your social media, they won’t be able to view your account any more.
Don’t reply or text back. When you do, the bully will keep replying and texting back. Once you stop or don’t engage, there is a chance they will leave you alone.
Talk to a trusted individual. Let people know what is going on. Don’t leave it to yourself. This is to protect you and your mental health.
Contact the police. If the cyberbullying is serious and you feel like you are in danger or the bully won’t leave you alone, then contact the police and report the individual.
Conclusion
Posting on social media runs the risk of being cyberbullied. You can’t control how people will react to your posts. Don’t let this stop you, take your precautions and keep going.
To learn more about cyberbullying in social media, visit https://evolvetreatment.com/blog/social-media-cyberbullying/
References
Security, Panda. “52 Cyberbullying Statistics for 2023 – Panda Security.” Panda Security Mediacenter, 18 Jan. 2023, https://www.pandasecurity.com/en/mediacenter/cyberbullying-statistics/#:~:text=38%20percent%20of%20people%20experience,to%20self%2Dharm%20to%20cope.