Opinion poll
Around one in six young people is affected by cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place on the Internet. photo
© Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/dpa
When it comes to online bullying, victims can’t simply escape home – and they usually don’t know how many people are watching. The results of a new survey are even more worrying.
Young people in Germany are looking for a new one Survey increases victims of cyberbullying. Last year, around 16 percent of adolescents were affected by bullying on the Internet, as shown by a study by the Sinus Institute on behalf of the Barmer health insurance company, which is available to the German Press Agency in Berlin. In 2021 it was only 14 percent.
More than one in two young people noticed in their immediate environment that someone was personally the target of cyberbullying. In 2021, this value was still 43 percent. Last year, around 2,000 young people between the ages of 14 and 17 were surveyed for the Sinus youth study. According to their own statements, 28 percent have never experienced cyberbullying – four percentage points less than two years previously.
WhatsApp and Tiktok come first
According to the survey, 52 percent of the affected adolescents recently experienced cyberbullying via WhatsApp. Tiktok and Instagram follow with 34 and 33 percent respectively. 74 percent of those affected were exposed to bullying in the form of insults, followed by spreading rumors (52 percent) and exclusion from groups (33 percent). 32 percent complained about posting embarrassing pictures and videos.
In his own words, Barmer CEO Christoph Straub sees cyberbullying as a major burden for those affected. “The faster the victims get trustworthy help from parents, friends, schools, police or advice centers, the better,” said Straub. “The victims must not be left alone.”
Lies and revealing photos
Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place on the Internet. Unlike bullying in the real world, young people who are bullied online cannot simply close their bedroom door or try to go into a safe room. The group that takes part or at least watches is also potentially larger on the Internet: no one knows exactly how many people have seen a revealing photo or heard a lie.