Cyberbullying: Which 3 Social Networks Are the Worst?

Social media sites are one of the leading places that pre-teens and teens experience bullying, whether they are being bullied, bullying someone or witnessing it.  What is staggering is that 90% of those who witnessed bullying on their social media sites have ignored the behavior.  

Detective Sgt Thomas Rich and Todd Shobel, President of STOPit, which launched on January 22nd 2014, have provided below the three worst social media networks for bullying as well as signs that your loved one is being bullied. STOPit is the first app of its kind that puts the power in the hands of cyber savvy kids to take a stand against cyberbullying and stomp out this devastating epidemic.

Facebook  – Of course, cyberbullying is happening on Facebook, and despite the network’s recent decline in popularity among teens, millions still congregate there. One of the most common forms of bullying on Facebook is harsh commenting on users’ self-photos (selfies). It’s a vicious circle, really, as teens who post photos are often looking for positive affirmation and end up getting the opposite.
Instagram  – An unfortunate byproduct of the rise of Instagram is the popularity of “rate me” posts or impromptu beauty contests. Teens, most frequently girls (but boys get into the act too), post pictures of themselves with a hashtag (#rateme, #hotornot) or referencing a contest (#custestteen) looking for likes or positive comments. Not surprisingly, many of the comments are anything but positive. Instagram users who set their accounts to private can avoid unwanted comments from strangers.
Ask.fm  – From what we’ve seen, the ratio of negative comments to positive ones is highest on Ask.fm, for a very straightforward reason. “Good” kids usually sign up for Ask.fm using their real name, but are not required to do so. Bullies are free to sign up for a fully anonymous account, and therefore can bully without fear of their real identity being uncovered. Ask.fm has been linked to 9 teen suicides in the past year.


Signs That Point to Bullying Problems:

Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situations
Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick or faking illness
Changes in eating habits, like suddenly skipping meals or binge eating.
Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares
Unexpectedly stops using phone or computer
Appears nervous or jumpy when an Instant Message, text message, or Email appears 
Appears to be angry, depressed, or frustrated after using phone or computer 
Becomes abnormally withdrawn from usual friends and family members
Self-destructive behaviors such as running away from home, harming themselves, or talking about suicide
Expresses reluctance or refuses to participate in activities previously enjoyed


Editor’s note: This content was sent to the Socialnomics team from Alexandra Attanasio. While we don’t typically post on someone else’s behalf, we felt these facts about Cyberbullying we’re very important to share with our readers. We hope you will check out STOPit and support Thomas and Todd in their endeavor to end cyberbullying!
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