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Impacts of Social Media on Cyberbullying

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Impacts of Social Media on Cyberbullying

Rapid technological changes have led to more people accessing the internet and using

digital gadgets such as smartphones, laptops, and tablets. This has also led to an increase in the

number of individuals who can access social media platforms. Many people have joined social

media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Many people have used social media

platforms to share information and have made social media one of the most commonly used

methods of communication. Businesses have also increased social media marketing due to the

increased number of individuals using various platforms. Nonetheless, social media negatively

impacts society, whereby cyberbullying has increased. Many people have experienced

cyberbullying on various social media platforms, whereby some have committed suicide.

Therefore, one can argue that social media have increased the risk of cyberbullying in various

ways.

How Social Media has increased the Risk of Cyberbullying

One aspect that reveals that social media has increased the risk of cyberbullying involves

the rates of stress, depression, and anxiety among students using social media platforms. Many

students are victims of cyberbullying, impacting their mental health in various ways (Evangelio

et al., 2022). For instance, one example showing how students have experienced cyberbullying is

the case of Amanda Michelle Todd. Todd was a 15-year-old Canadian student who was a victim

of cyberbullying. Todd hanged herself at home after being bullied online after exposing her

breasts via a webcam (Broll, 2016). She used a series of flashcards to tell her story and the

challenges she was experiencing due to cyberbullying. His bullies posted her images on

Facebook, impacting her mental health (Broll, 2016). This led to increased bullying, and Todd
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decided to commit suicide. This case shows that social media has increased the risk of

cyberbullying among students and young adults on social media.

Adults have also experienced cyberbullying on various social media platforms. Many

celebrities have also argued that increased use of social media has led to more cyberbullying in

society. Selena Gomez is a celebrity who has experienced cyberbullying after gaining weight.

The singer struggled with mental and physical health problems and faced cyberbullying on social

media. Many people trolled her on Twitter and Facebook, claiming her looks were not pleasing

(Parle, 2022). Adele is another celebrity who experienced cyberbullying on social media. The

UK-born singer gave birth to a boy and argued that many fans congratulated her on her new

motherhood journey. Nonetheless, she was attacked by many people on Twitter with negative

comments about her weight and jokes about postpartum depression (Parle, 2022). Adele claimed

that her experience of cyberbullying impacted her mental health, but she drew strength from her

loyal fans and did her best to avoid facing depression. Consequently, these experiences by these

celebrities reveal that cyberbullying is an issue that should be mitigated in society since it

impacts many people on social media. Besides, the information shared on social media platforms

can reach many people quickly. This leads to social media being one factor that has increased the

risk of cyberbullying in the contemporary world.

Conclusion

Cyberbullying is an issue that many people have experienced in the modern world. The

increased use of social media has also led many individuals to become cyberbullying victims.

For instance, Todd's case is one of the cases that show how social media has increased the risk of

cyberbullying among young people. Many young people in the modern world have joined social

media platforms and are vulnerable to cyberbullying. The cases involving Gomez and Adele
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have also shown that adults experience cyberbullying due to increased use of social media. Cases

of adults who have faced cyberbullying on various social media platforms have been experienced

in many regions. Therefore, the examples presented reveal that social media has increased the

risk of cyberbullying, and governments should ensure that ways to curb this menace should be

introduced. For instance, strict policies should be introduced, and individuals guilty of

cyberbullying should be charged heavily.

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References

Broll, R. (2016). Collaborative responses to cyberbullying: preventing and responding to

cyberbullying through nodes and clusters. Policing and Society, 26(7), 735-752.

Evangelio, C., Rodriguez-Gonzalez, P., Fernandez-Rio, J., & Gonzalez-Villora, S. (2022).

Cyberbullying in elementary and middle school students: A systematic

review. Computers & Education, 176, 104356

Parle, T. (2022, June 27). 5 celebrities that were victims of cyberbullying. Parle Mag. Retrieved

May 6, 2023, from https://parlemag.com/2022/06/celebrities-that-were-victims-of-

cyberbullying/