Have you been the target of online harassment? Do you think you're more or less likely to become a victim today compared to a year ago?:
Bottom Line: For years online bullying was a hot button topic generally focused on our kids. Over the past couple of years that dynamic changed considerably. With politics being the most common cause of adults being bullied online, and social media platforms being the most likely way you're targeted - we've seen a proliferation of adults becoming victims.
Last year Pew Research Center found that 41% of all adults had become victims of online bullying. Not surprisingly but notable is that the younger an adult was/is the more likely they were/are to become victims. For adults under 30, 67% reported being bullied online. The most common forms are (in order):
Name calling
Purposeful embarrassment
Physical threats
Sustained Harassment
Stalking
Sexual Harassment
What's unclear is if it gets better from here. Platforms like Facebook have suggested they're taking more aggressive stances against this type of behavior and with the advent of the sexual abuse / harassment scandals becoming hot button topic, hopefully we can turn a corner and reduce the abuse this year. The problem has become pervasive enough that multiple adults I know have either stopped engaging in certain social networks, including my wife. It's bad enough when it's online and it can be terrifying when it carries over into physical life as half of adult online bullying did last year. We all need to play a role in turning the corner with this type of abuse. That starts with not perpetuating it...continues with reporting it when we find it and the willingness not to become silent victims to allow others to continue to victimize you and others.