Cyberbullying Statistics

• 95% of social media-using teens who have witnessed cruel behavior on social networking sites say they have seen others ignoring the mean behavior; 55% witness this frequently. (Pew Internet Research Center, FOSI, Cable in the Classroom, 2011)
  • 84% have seen the people defend the person being harassed; 27% report seeing this frequently. 
  • 84% have seen the people tell cyberbullies to stop bullying; 20% report seeing this frequently. 
• 66% of teens who have witnessed online cruelty have also witnessed others joining; 21% say they have also joined in the harassment. (Pew Internet Research Center, FOSI, Cable in the Classroom, 2011)
• 90% of social media-using teens who have witnessed online cruelty say they have ignored mean behavior on social media; 35% have done this frequently. (Pew Internet Research Center, FOSI, Cable in the Classroom, 2011)
  • 80% say they have defended the victim; 25% have done so frequently
  • 79% have told the cyberbully to stop being mean and cruel; 20% have done so frequently
• Only 7% of U.S. parents are worried about cyberbullying, even though 33% of teenagers have been victims of cyberbullying (Pew Internet and American Life Survey, 2011)
• 85% of parent of youth ages 13-17 report their child has a social networking account. (American Osteopathic Association, 2011)
• 52% of parents are worried their child will be bullied via social networking sites. (American Osteopathic Association, 2011)
• 1 in 6 parents know their child has been bullied via a social networking site. (American Osteopathic Association, 2011)
• One million children were harassed, threatend or subjected to other forms of cyberbullying on Facebook during the past year. (Consumer Reports, 2011)
• 43% of teens aged 13 to 17 report that they have experienced some sort of cyberbulying in the past year.[1]
• More girls are cyberbullys than boys (59% girls and 41% boys).[2
• Cyberbullies spend more time online than other teens overall (38.4 hours compared to 26.8 hours).[3]
• Cyberbullies are more likely to have engaged in sexting (31% vs. 19% for teens overall).[4]
• 34% of those who have had any engagement in cyberbullying have been both a cyberbully and been cyberbullied.[5]
• 68% of teens agree that cyberbullying is a serious problem with today’s youth.[6]Reasons cyberbullies said they engaged in cyberbullying:[7]

o   To show off to friends (11%)

o   To be mean (14%)

o   Something else (16%)

o   To embarrass them (21%)

o   For fun or entertainment (28%)

o   They deserved it (58%)

o   To get back at someone (58%)

• 81% of youth agree that bullying online is easier to get away with than bullying in person.[8]
•  80% think it is easier to hide online bullying from parents than in-person bullying.