Australian children and young people are learning how to counter negative online experiences and are prepared to stand up to cyberbullies, according to research from the eSafety Commissioner.
The Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant said new data from an eSafety survey found more young people were feeling empowered to take control of their online experiences.
“eSafety asked 3,600 young Australians aged eight to 17 years old about their digital participation and experiences of online harms,’ Ms Inman Grant said, “to find more young people said they took steps to push back against online bullies, compared to four years ago.”
“An important and heartening finding in the research was that 64 per cent of young people who have experienced negative online behaviour are taking proactive measures to block or unfriend people who had bullied them online,” she said.
“A significant increase on 46 per cent of young people in 2017,” she said.
“Face-to-face bullying is still more prevalent than cyberbullying in Australia, despite the proliferation of cyberbullying in the face of COVID-19.”
Ms Inman Grant said 55 per cent of survey respondents reported being treated in a hurtful or nasty way during face-to-face interactions in the past 12 months.
She said 45 per cent reported they had been treated in a hurtful or nasty way online, while more than half had also witnessed this happening to someone else.
“Sixty per cent of teenagers are now telling us they would tell a friend about online bullying, compared to just 28 per cent back in 2017,” she said.
“And as these stats converge, we are reminded of the dissolving distinction between the online and offline worlds.
“For young people in particular this is simply their life.”
The Commissioner said the research showed that children and parents were developing more confidence to speak about what happens online.
“The culture is changing, and we are overcoming some of the stigma attached to speaking up,” Ms Inman Grant said.
