A recent WHO study concluded that around one in six schoolchildren between the ages of eleven and 15 were bullied online in 2022. As an internet phenomenon, cyberbullying highlights the importance of adequate behaviour and critical thinking when being online.
The WHO study noted that virtual violence in this age group has risen sharply, particularly since the beginning of the Covid pandemic. The study is based on the statements of 280,000 children and young people in 44 countries in Europe, Central Asia, and Canada.
But what is proper online conduct? There actually is a sort of behavioural guide called ‘netiquette’, which is aimed at users as much as website operators, as the latter regularly have to keep an eye on posts, comments, and content.
Judith Reicherzer coordinates media projects at the Aline Mayrisch secondary school and believes that young people today are well aware of what they can and cannot post on Instagram or Facebook.
Young people are also more cautious on social media than people who grew up without the internet, she explains: “They really do know quite a lot about netiquette, at least in theory. They know that they have to adhere to theoretical rules and also know what can happen if they misbehave. I think there really has been a big development over the last few years.”
Most teenagers also tend to post less about themselves and refrain from providing any personal information at all. However, teenagers are more likely to be in WhatsApp groups that are encrypted and unmonitored.
Reicherzer elaborates: These are groups to which adults don’t have access, they are groups of friends or larger groups of people who share the same hobbies or interests. And it’s often the case that they forget these rules and cyberbullying quickly develops.”
Young people’s way of accessing information is also starkly different to how other generations kept informed. Back then, they used to watch TV with the family or listen to the radio, but nowadays platforms like TikTok are the main resource point. The mass of information on there alone is a reason for concern.
Reicherzer notes: “Especially when the content appeals to their emotions, such as for example the very strong emotional images and posts from Gaza, it leaves a great impression on young users, which they then share. Not all of them, of course, but some of them. This can then lead to dangerous developments including radicalisation.”
What adds to it is that parents therefore often remain unaware of what their children are watching, what fascinates them, or keeps them awake at night: “There is also a lot of uncontrolled and unfiltered information on social media, which through algorithms keeps circulating over and over again around children. So it’s easy to slip into a dangerous world if you don’t have the opportunity to discuss these topics and pick up critical thinking tools at school or at home.”
Awareness is not about demonising the internet. Nevertheless, it is important to understand the internet and its mechanisms, both for young people and adults.
Opinion: Kids, remember to talk to your parents about internet safety!
