ONLINE HAZARDS

Cyberbullying

This is the digital counterpart to traditional playground or neighbourhood park bullying. UNICEF categorises cyberbullying as bullying occurring on social media, messaging, gaming platforms, and mobile phones. It entails repeated behaviour with harsh words, threats, and shame, designed to scare or anger the targeted individuals. In December 2023, a child in the US committed suicide following cyberbullying during an online game, leading to the arrest and confession of another young boy for harassment that contributed to his death. Additionally, a 15-year-old from a prestigious private school in the US committed suicide due to cyberbullying in April 2022. The term “Cyberbullicide” was introduced by S Hinduja and JW Patchin in 2010 after their survey of 2,000 middle school students indicated that suicide could result indirectly or directly from online aggression. The insidious nature of cyberbullying lies in its invisibility to most parents and teachers, leaving young victims to suffer in silence until it becomes unbearable.

Body image issues

On social media, everyone appears content and visually perfect, without signs of being frumpy or overweight. What impact does viewing endless images of glamorous influencers, celebrities, and models, who never show common issues like bloating, have on teenagers experiencing physical and hormonal changes? A study published in February 2023 by the American Psychological Association found that “Teens and young adults who reduced their social media use by 50 per cent for just a few weeks saw significant improvement in how they felt about both their weight and their overall appearance compared with peers who maintained consistent levels of social media use.” The study’s lead author Gary Goldfield from the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute in Canada highlighted that adolescents are particularly vulnerable and at risk of developing eating disorders, mental health issues, and a negative self-image.

999 LISTS SOME OF THE MOST PERILOUS THREATS CHILDREN FACE ON THE INTERNET