Stacy Jo Dixon
Research expert covering social media usage worldwide
Cyberbullying - statistics & facts
From avoiding online spaces to missing school, cyberbullying affects people in many ways. Despite being more susceptible, children and teens are not the only ones who fall prey to this negative online behavior, as adults around the globe are also concerned about their online security.
In the United States, 77.5 percent of school students reported that they had been subjected to negative or hurtful online posts about themselves, while 70.4 percent reported that someone had spread rumors about them online. Due to the widespread usage of smartphones and social media, the online world is part of everyday life for most, and cyberbullying can result in real-world changes in behavior and even school attendance. Ten percent of U.S. students had missed school at least once in the past year due to cyberbullying, while 60 percent said cyberbullying had deeply affected their ability to learn and feel safe at school.
According to social media users, some platforms feel safer than others, and in Canada, people reported feeling most secure when using LinkedIn and WhatsApp and least secure on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Men and women had contrasting feelings of security across platforms, with women feeling noticeably less safe than men on Twitter and Snapchat.
Being online comes with many risks, and cyberbullying is one that can have real-world implications, and in an ocean of content, social media companies struggle to control this type of harmful behavior. Regulations and legislation such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Digital Services Act (DSA), and the Social Media Safety Act are in place to protect online users, and with growing pressure from governments and individuals, a safer online world is possible.
Are cyberbullies everywhere?
Cyberbullying does not solely impact a specific group or region. In 2023, one in five internet users reported that they were at risk of cyberbullying, harassment, or abuse. South African internet users were most at risk, with 36 percent of respondents having been exposed to these types of online harm. In comparison, one in ten internet users in France reported being in danger of cyberbullying. Individuals do not necessarily need to have been a direct victim of online bullying to feel unsafe online, and almost half of all internet users in Singapore said they were worried about exposure to cyberbullying.Who is most at risk?
All internet users are exposed to malicious online contact; children and teens are a particularly vulnerable demographic, and the more time spent online, the greater the chance of exposure. In 2023, teens who self-reported high levels of online addiction were twice as likely to experience cyberbullying as those with low levels of addiction. Additionally, teen girls were more likely than their male counterparts to have experienced harmful online content.In the United States, 77.5 percent of school students reported that they had been subjected to negative or hurtful online posts about themselves, while 70.4 percent reported that someone had spread rumors about them online. Due to the widespread usage of smartphones and social media, the online world is part of everyday life for most, and cyberbullying can result in real-world changes in behavior and even school attendance. Ten percent of U.S. students had missed school at least once in the past year due to cyberbullying, while 60 percent said cyberbullying had deeply affected their ability to learn and feel safe at school.
Figuring out safe spaces
Over the last decade, the number of reported instances of cyber harassment in Canada has risen by almost 244 percent. As of March 2024, 20 percent of internet users in the country had either experienced cyberbullying or witnessed it. Furthermore, a quarter of users were reluctant to use social media or have online discussions due to their concerns of online harassment.According to social media users, some platforms feel safer than others, and in Canada, people reported feeling most secure when using LinkedIn and WhatsApp and least secure on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Men and women had contrasting feelings of security across platforms, with women feeling noticeably less safe than men on Twitter and Snapchat.
Content regulation: fighting a losing battle?
Cyberbullying accounts for a large share of content removal across major social platforms. Between April and June 2024, Facebook acted on 7.8 million pieces of bullying and harassment content on the platform. Additionally, Instagram actioned over ten million pieces of this type of content during the same period. On social platform X, during the first half of 2024, one million X accounts were suspended for reasons of abuse, harassment, and hateful content while 2.2 million pieces of content were removed. The most common reason for content and accounts being reported on Snapchat was harassment and bullying, with over 6.6 million violations of this type being reported in the first half of 2023.Being online comes with many risks, and cyberbullying is one that can have real-world implications, and in an ocean of content, social media companies struggle to control this type of harmful behavior. Regulations and legislation such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Digital Services Act (DSA), and the Social Media Safety Act are in place to protect online users, and with growing pressure from governments and individuals, a safer online world is possible.
