Enlarge image
Insults on the Internet (icon image)
Photo: Thomas Trutschel / photothek / imago images
Young people are increasingly becoming victims of cyberbullying.
The Barmer health insurance came to this conclusion in a survey.
Whether as perpetrators, victims or observers, more than half (51 percent) of young people between the ages of 14 and 17 in Germany have experienced cyberbullying.
A year earlier, this figure was 43 percent.
Some even know the subject from two or three of these perspectives, so they have been victims and perpetrators, for example.
Bullying incidents have increased most on the Tiktok platform
The proportion of girls and boys who had not experienced any bullying at all on the Internet fell from 32 to 28 percent.
According to the so-called Sinus Youth Study by Barmer, bullying is most frequently experienced on the Whatsapp messaging service, followed by the social networks Instagram, Tiktok and Facebook.
The bullying incidents on the Tiktok platform had increased the most with twelve percentage points.
At 38 percent, it is now the third most common location for cyberbullying among young people.
According to the study, young people stated that insults were the most common form of cyberbullying – at 74 percent.
This was followed by spreading rumors and being kicked out of groups, posting embarrassing videos or pictures, and harassment.
In addition, stalking and identity theft continued to play a role.
Around 2,000 young people between the ages of 14 and 17 were surveyed nationwide
Barmer CEO Christoph Straub called for easy access to help and contact points that those affected could trust.
"The problem of cyberbullying is intensifying," he explained.
According to the survey, 19 percent of those affected did not receive any help during cyberbullying attacks.
According to Barmer, teachers, online counseling services or the police could also help.
According to the information, around 2,000 young people between the ages of 14 and 17 were interviewed nationwide for the study in October.
swe/AFP