As technology evolves and becomes more integrated into our society, studies have been conducted to track the growth of threats such as cyberbullying. McAfee has released findings from a new study that show the growing popularity of cyberbullying.
The study aims to emphasize the risks that are being taken by using the internet, including the increased susceptibility to cyberbullying. The most significant finding from the study showed that 87% of youth have witnessed cyberbullying. Last year, only 27% of the youth studied witnessed cyberbullying.
The increase in the cases of cyberbullying urges parents to be more aware of their children’s activities on the Internet.
“Parents must discuss online activity with their children to better snure their safety and security offline,” said Michelle Dennedy, chief privacy officer at McAfee. “Whether a child is a victim or an instigator of cruel behavior such as cyberbullying, the negative behavior can deeply affect their identity and their reputation.”
The study also showed that the youth overshare what would be considered private information publicly, either purposely or accidentally. Around half of the youth surveyed regretted posting something online. It is essential for parents to talk to children about their online activity. This sort of monitoring helps prevent exposure of private information onto the web.