Debugging the Web of cyberbullying

Photo shoot for Star2 story on bullying at Menara Star. AZMAN GHANI / the star

PETALING JAYA: At least one in two young people have experienced cyberbullying, according to Digi CyberSAFE’s Stop Cyberbullying 2017 survey.

The survey found that 58% of the respondents experienced cyberbullying on social media or chat apps, and 75% had received nasty messages in multi-player online games.

The survey was done in collaboration with CyberSecurity Malaysia in conjunction with the Stop Cyberbullying Day today.

“As estimates say there will be 500 million children in Asia who will be online by 2020, the occurrence of cyberbullying is likely to increase,” said Mai Oldgard, senior vice-president of Telenor Group in a statement.

“This is the bullying of the 21st century; more invasive, maybe harder to notice and increasingly common. You can leave the physical schoolyard, but it’s much more difficult to turn off the digital world,” she added.

The survey, taken by 94 young people aged between 18 and 20, also found 66% of the respondents received unwanted sexual materials on social media and chat apps.

Chat apps make up the umber one platform for which the respondents encountered these negative experiences, followed by social media, online games, email and then live streams.

“I encourage everyone to get educated on this new reality our children are facing, and help them deal with the risks of being online,” said Oldgard.

Stop Cyberbullying Day will be launched today on www.digi.my/digicybersafe with social engagements by Digi CyberSAFE and its student ambassadors.

The public is encouraged to get involved by tweeting positive anti-cyberbullying messages on social media with the hashtag #STOPCYBERBULLYINGDAY.