Erin Seils|
Social media has become an essential part of everyday life for many people. 96% of 11 – 19 year olds use some sort of social media. We use it to stay in contact with family and friends, to keep up to date with what is going on in the world, to express our opinion on global, national and personal issues and to simply show others what is happening in our lives. It can be an extremely useful tool for communication. However, with the amount of cyberbullying that occurs due to the anonymity that social media sites allow us to have, it can be very dangerous.
According to Ditch The Label’s annual UK bullying survey 2015, 62% of 13 – 20 year olds who have been bullied have been cyberbully victims. Because of bullying, 29% self harmed, 27% skipped class, 14% developed an eating disorder and 12% ran away from home.
While not as popular as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, apps such as Whisper and Yik Yak allow users to anonymously share with those nearby.
Whisper describes itself as an “online community where millions of people around the world share real thoughts, trade advice, and get the inside scoop”.
Lots of people like to use the app to get advice or to find people that they have something in common with. Although it is highly rated by many users, there is no way of knowing who you are talking to and it has the potential to cause huge upset. You can bad mouth anyone you like and easily pretend to be much older or younger than you are. No profile picture is required, no names, only the city you are in, tracked using your phone’s location.
If you are considering using an app like this or are already using it, make sure not to share any personal information and never agree to meet up with anyone you meet on one of these sights as you would be putting yourself at risk. If you are being bullied, whether online or not, tell someone you can trust, such as a parent, guardian or teacher and they will help you to deal with your situation.
