About 23 per cent of B.C. teens have been victims of cyber-bullying, according to a new survey of parents.
The online poll of 504 B.C. adults by West-6S Marketing found widespread concern about cyber-bullying, with 89 per cent very or somewhat concerned.
Eight per cent of adults surveyed also said they’ve been cyber-bullied and that rose to 12 per cent among heavy users of Facebook or Twitter.
More mainstream use of social media means cyber-bullying is becoming more widespread and not just limited to online chat rooms, according to 6S Marketing president Chris Breikss.
“Considering the speed of social media and its availability – through smart phones, tablets – harassment has become inescapable,” he said.
“It turns into a round-the-clock nightmare. The internet’s immediacy gives bullies a perception of power and the sheer volume of these unmoderated interactions can have devastating consequences.”
About 46 per cent of B.C. adults use Facebook daily – rising to 64 per cent of 18- to 34-year-olds – and levels are higher in households with teens.
Sixteen per cent use Twitter daily (37 per cent in the 18-34 group.)
Fifty-eight per cent of parents surveyed said they believed their teens were the victims of “traditional” bullying.