Cyberbullies are 20 percent more likely to attempt suicide than others, according to a report.
“New research suggests that it is not just the victims of cyberbullying that are more likely to kill themselves or think about doing so than their peers, but the perpetrators themselves who are also at higher risk,” reported the Independent on Wednesday.
The British study, which was completed by academics from Birmingham University, “is based on a review of available studies and evidence on the impact of cyberbullying on children and young people across 30 countries,” according to news outlet, which also revealed that victims of cyberbullying are twice as likely to self-harm.
“The people doing the bullying themselves have issues that cause them to act in that way, so it is unsurprising to see that the cyberbullies themselves, in turn, have these quite marked problems,” claimed Birmingham University Professor Paul Montgomery. “Prevention of cyberbullying should be included in school anti-bullying policies, alongside broader concepts such as digital citizenship, online peer support for victims, how an electronic bystander might appropriately intervene; and more specific interventions such as how to contact mobile phone companies and Internet service providers to block, educate, or identify users.”
In February, it was reported that social networks in the UK could start to face government sanctions unless they pledged to stop “trolling,” “sexting,” and “cyberbullying” on their platforms.
The move came after The Samaritans claimed that there were “correlations” between internet use and self-harm, but added that it was unrealistic to remove all “harmful” content online.
Charlie Nash is a reporter for Breitbart Tech. You can follow him on Twitter @MrNashington or like his page at Facebook.