We perform numerous actions in our everyday life. However, we don’t
realize the effects of it. Our gestures can either make or break someone’s day,
but do we notice that? Cyberbullying is an ongoing issue in our society.
Especially with the evolution of social media and technology, it has become
more of a concern to our current generations. If we want to fix this issue for
future generations, we need to know what the matter is, the effects, the
victims, and what we can do to solve it.
For those of you that do not know what cyberbullying is, it is when a
person or group of people harass an individual using the internet.
Cyberbullying usually takes place on social media platforms such as
Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter. Ways someone can cyberbully an
individual is posting hurtful comments, texting them upsetting things, or
posting pictures of them that can be offensive. The effects of cyberbullying
can be severe. It can cause them to have insecurities about themselves, low
self-esteem, depression, or suicidal thoughts.
The groups who experience cyberbullying the most are teenagers and
celebrities. In Canada, about 1 in 10 teens who use social media platforms
experience cyberbullying. About 35% of those teens have witnessed
cyberbullying happen but chose not to inform anyone about it. There is a
misconception surrounding celebrities and cyberbullying. Since they are
celebrities, people do not think that they will be affected by mean comments.
No matter what status a person has in the world, they are still human beings,
meaning they have feelings.
Our society tends to cyberbully people without reasoning. Often, we do
not consider the consequences of the actions we make. If we want to fix this
issue in the future, we need to be mindful of what we say and do to people. If
you don’t have something nice to tell, don’t say it. What good is it to say
something that you know will hurt someone? Remember, one action is all it
takes to cyberbully someone.