Online Abuse Becoming Worse, Say Teens and 20-Somethings

By

If you are the parent of a teenager or a young person in his or her 20s, this will be an uncomfortable – but necessary – read for you.

A new poll of young people conducted by the Associated Press in conjunction with MTV has found that more than half – 56 percent – of respondents said they have at one time been the target of online taunting, harassment or bullying. This number shows a small increase over numbers from the same poll conducted two years ago. 


Even more skin-crawl-worthy is the fact that fully one-third of young people report that have been “involved” in sexting, an umbrella term that can encompass sharing nude or lewd photos online, and can even involve using wireless technology to find sexual partners. Forty percent of teens or young people in a relationship reported that their partners have used computers or cellphones to abuse or control them.

While about three quarters of young people polled said they consider this kind of online behavior or “digital abuse” a serious problem and the same percentage say that “people do or say things online that they wouldn’t do or say face to face,” other results from the study would appear to show, in some cases, that the respondents themselves are part of the problem. 

When asked why people engage in bullying and name calling that includes using racist, sexist and homophobic slurs, more than half of the young people interviewed – 57 percent – believe it’s because “people are trying to be funny.” Only half as many believe it’s because “people really hold those views.” Young people’s views on whether the behavior was “funny” changed radically when the abusive language was directed at themselves, however.

While the Internet didn’t create bad human behavior, it has a way of exacerbating it. The anonymity and remoteness of the Internet – it’s easy to hide behind a pseudonym or a false identity – allows people to let rip with behavior and language they would never think of engaging in if their identities were known.

And, unlike face-to-face encounters, the Internet has a way of disseminating and preserving ugly behavior or embarrassing photos forever.

Been putting off that talk with your pre-teen or teenager about online safety? Don’t.



Tracey Schelmetic is a contributing editor for TechZone360. To read more of Tracey's articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Jennifer Russell
Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. [Free eNews Subscription]

TechZone360 Contributor

SHARE THIS ARTICLE
Related Articles

Tech Podcast Award Winners Bring Excitement and Enthusiasm to a Range of Important Tech Topics

By: TMCnet Staff    6/18/2025

Tech Podcast Award winners produce engaging, informative, and often entertaining content, bringing valuable insight from industry front lines to the e…

Read More

How Mobile Technology is Driving the Shift to Casino Apps

By: Contributing Writer    6/12/2025

Recent years have seen casino apps completely changing the online casino experience. Thanks to mobile-first technology, apps are becoming the default.…

Read More

Decentralized IT Management: Fad or Future?

By: Contributing Writer    6/5/2025

Managing IT feels like an ongoing balancing act for many businesses. Centralized systems often create bottlenecks, slow down teams, and frustrate empl…

Read More

IT Management as a Driver of ESG Initiatives

By: Contributing Writer    6/5/2025

Businesses today face growing pressure to meet environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. Customers demand greener practices. Investors lo…

Read More

Everything You Need to Know About Mobile Casinos

By: Contributing Writer    5/30/2025

We live in the age of technology and we have come to solve things on the go, whether we are talking about personal or job-related issues. We have come…

Read More