Welcome to DoSomething.org, a global movement of 6 million young people making positive change, online and off! The 11 facts you want are below, and the sources for the facts are at the very bottom of the page. After you learn something, Do Something! Find out how to take action here.   
 

1. Nearly 43% of kids have been bullied online. 1 in 4 has had it happen more than once.
2. 70% of students report seeing frequent bullying online. Filling up your friends’ Facebook feeds with positive posts instead of negative ones can boost school-wide morale. Start a Facebook page for students to submit positive acts they see in school to promote a culture of positivity on and offline. Sign up for Positivity Page.
3. Over 80% of teens use a cell phone regularly, making it the most common medium for cyber bullying.
4. 68% of teens agree that cyber bullying is a serious problem.
5. 81% of young people think bullying online is easier to get away with than bullying in person.
6. 90% of teens who have seen social-media bullying say they have ignored it. 84% have seen others tell cyber bullies to stop.
7. Only 1 in 10 victims will inform a parent or trusted adult of their abuse.
8. Girls are about twice as likely as boys to be victims and perpetrators of cyber bullying.
9. About 58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online. More than 4 out 10 say it has happened more than once.
10. Bullying victims are 2 to 9 times more likely to consider committing suicide.
11. About 75% of students admit they have visited a website bashing another student.

(https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-cyber-bullying)

When being cyber bullied, there are practical ways to respond. But when the situation calls for it, don’t hesitate to get professional, legal and police assistance.

Here’s a link for more information: https://asksonnie.info/cyber-bullied/

Instagram, owned by Facebook, is expanding its anti-bullying initiative in an effort to rid the popular social media site of bullies.CreditCreditChandan Khanna/Agence France-Presse

By Laura M. Holson

• May 1, 2018

Instagram said Tuesday it was expanding its online anti-bullying initiative, adding a new filter to weed out comments meant to harass or bully the 800 million users of the popular social media site.

The company said it would review accounts that have a large number of comments filtered out. If those accounts violate Instagram’s community guidelines, it will take action, which could include banning them. The new filter will also hide comments attacking a person’s appearance or character, and alert Instagram to repeat offenders.

It is the second step in an initiative announced last year to curb offensive comments and rid Instagram of its most malicious members.

“To be clear, we don’t tolerate bullying on Instagram,” Kevin Systrom, the company’s chief executive and co-founder, told Instagram users in a blog post Tuesday. The company will also expand policies to guard against the bullying of young public figures who are often the target of hate-filled messages. (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/01/technology/instagram-bully-filter.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FCyberbullying&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=4&pgtype=collection)

Haley Morris-Cafiero saved more than 1,000 negative comments directed toward her and, choosing 30 from various backgrounds, photographed herself costumed like her cyberbullies.“Quit looking like a slob. No one cares that you’re a fat slob. Just the fact that you’re a slob.”CreditHaley Morris-Cafiero

By Evelyn NievesSept. 20189

It all started eight years ago when Haley Morris-Cafiero was taking self-portraits in Times Square, lost in the clutter, cacophony and crowds — or so she thought.

As she developed her film, she discovered that even in the chaos of the country’s busiest street, passers-by had noticed her, and none too kindly. One onlooker had photobombed her with what was it? A glare? A few frames later, another observer had thrown her some side eye. Then another. Was it her weight?

Ms. Morris-Cafiero, a fine art photographer who had been working on a series of self-portraits in public spaces, switched her focus. She decided to photograph herself eating, bending, sitting — just being — in public in order to capture those watching and reacting. The results, which went viral in 2013 when HuffPost and London’s Daily Mail ran stories on the project, spoke volumes. Sneers, snickers, sidelong glances and outright stares revealed the reality of walking the world while fat. Not to mention, those judging, mocking and scorning came young and old, from all walks of life.

“Wait Watchers” (published as a monograph, “Watchers,” in 2015 by the Magenta Foundation) caught onlookers in the act of looking ugly. In an irony that inspired Ms. Morris-Cafiero’s latest project, “The Bully Pulpit,” the online comments “Wait Watchers” received were even uglier.

(https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/20/lens/they-body-shamed-her-online-then-this-photographer-struck-back.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FCyberbullying&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=collection)

Opening a meeting to discuss how technology affects young people, First Lady Melania Trump acknowledged the incredulous reactions when she announced she would highlight cyber bullying.

“I am well aware that people are skeptical of me discussing the topic”, Ms Trump said during a White House meeting with technology executives.

Given her husband’s fondness for publicly belittling foes and doling out derisive nicknames, Ms Trump’s decision to focus on combatting bullying raised ample eyebrows. (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/melania-trump-cyber-bullying-cyberbullying-campaign-speech-criticism-a8265846.html)

Social Media is filled with different trends nowadays and different posts from different people, but the bad news is people can be toxic and use your posts to harm you in public.

Secure your social media accounts. Keep your accounts safe and never tell your password and username, bullies might get it and use it against you.

Post something professional and decent. Think twice before posting it, make sure that the posts doesn’t sound offensive and cringy. Bullies can’t use it against it if you play safe.

Block accounts and politely tell them stop. Block accounts if bullies went too far and politely ask bullies to stop their harassment if it is just a simple trash talk.

Having problems from being harassed from a cyber bully? Don’t worry everyone had been possibly affected ad can relate to you. The words that this posts will give you is just a recommendation and tip for you and the rest will be your decision.

Never believe in the words of a bully. Most of the time the bully is telling a lie to you because is somewhat jealous of you or thinks you are easy to believe their words. Just think about it if it’s false and ignore the false accusation because that what a bully wants “your comment”.

Don’t overthink about the problem and think positively. People tend to overthink the negative and don’t see the positive side or solutions of the problem. Just act the way before and live healthy!

Trash talk that can help you also as well. Some rude comments can help you become a better person as well physically and mentally. Take some true comments and change something about you that does give you a negative impact in life. So solve it.

Cyber bullying is just the digital version of bullying. People think cyber bullying should be feared and never be confronted, but the truth is it isn’t; cyber bullying is a simple harassment and escalate if being abused too much with picture, videos, and negative posts

Don’t be afraid to ask advice or help from an adult and close friend, they could be the key in stopping you from being bullied. But ask the right people that you could trust for a long time.

Credits: Elison Valdez