Standing against cyberbullying : (Instagram Edition)

It’s no secret that the average youth spends most of his/her time on social media not only as a means of communicating and sharing with peers but it has also become rather a source of self-validation, self-esteem and has made it a part of their lives as a whole. Of course, just like in reality, things do not always turn out the way you plan them and many young teens find themselves getting hurt and demoralized. According to The Telegraph, Instagram is one of the worst social media apps for cyber bullying to date with 42% of those who had been bullied saying it happened on Instagram. 64% of those interviewed also admitted to having bullied somebody else online in one way or the other.

This kind of abuse has also led to a series of negative side effects. It has been proven that many people who had been cyberbullied ended up with social and in some cases mental health problems. A life led online can cause young people to feel anxious, inadequate and afraid suggests new report. With such stats lying right before us it is obvious that more action needs to be taken to help protect not only the youths, who comprise of the large portion of those bullied but everyone who has been victimized by this means of bullying.

Apart from all the small strides that Instagram has already made, there are ways in which can all help curb bullying online. Simple things like – stop and think before you say something mean to somebody; when you’re feeling angry, find something else to do like play a game, watch TV or talk to a friend; if you have bullied someone in the past, apologize, it makes them feel better. Overall we all have something that we can do to help make the internet a safer place for all of us where people aren’t made to feel inadequate or lesser.

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About Makomborero Marumisa