During November, schools around the UK have been focused on anti-bullying week, working to prevent bullying in real life and online. Many children wore odd socks as a way of celebrating their differences and there were workshops and activities held to explore the negative impacts of bullying.

As the internet is now more widely used, more people have joined social media apps such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. TikTok has recently gained more popularity and has brought a whole new side to the internet, connecting millions of people, giving people the opportunity to form online friendships, join communities and have their own platforms. However, to keep social media apps like this a fun place, people must combat cyber bullying and trolling.

According to Government statistics published in March 2020, around one in five children aged 10 or over faced bullying of some type in the preceding year. Lockdowns since then could have caused the stress children were experiencing to worsen the situation. In support of this, newer studies such as one conducted by the European Commission are reporting greater rates of cyber bullying than ever before. Many teenagers will have experienced cyberbullying, whether it is hurtful or repeated negative comments from someone they know and see in real life, or a stranger they only know online. Whilst occasional abuse might be something they can cope with, the problem is when these kinds of messages are sent repeatedly and unprovoked.

When it comes to apps such as TikTok, the general environment can cause bullying. It is common to see hate or harassment in TikTok comment sections and many videos are posted of users reacting to offensive comments someone has posted. These comments are often deleted later, but the damage is already done. Many published studies report the effects of bullying on teenagers, from depression and anxiety to suicidal thoughts and serious health issues, such as anorexia and self-harming.

There are many reasons why someone might be a cyberbully. Firstly, the person may be insecure and could find bringing other people down on the internet a way of raising their confidence or self-esteem. However, some people may enjoy the sense of control that they can exert over others. Recent research has identified a link between cyberbullying and other anti-social behaviour. An obvious difference between bullying face to face and using the internet is that the person cyberbullying is able to remain anonymous. This means that the person behind the screen might be able to avoid any consequences for what they have done. It also means that anyone is able to cyberbully, unlike face-to-face bullying. Having a screen between the cyberbully and the victim also means that the cyberbully could feel less empathy for the victim, as they cannot see their facial expressions or real reaction to the comments.

So how do we tackle this growing issue? Much of the recent work in schools has focused on increasing awareness and supporting the victims. It seems that we need to also think about how to deter people from cyberbullying in the first place. One method of this is taking down comments before they can be read as a way of reducing the number of offensive posts.

If you or someone that you know has been affected by bullying, there is support available. The Anti-Bullying Alliance lists a number of sources that can help: https://anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/tools-information/advice-and-support/if-youre-being-bullied/find-help-and-support

Childline are always available to support children with worries they need help with, either by phone 0800 1111 or online https://www.childline.org.uk/