Study finds that one in seven kids bullied someone online.
The poll, carried out by Action for Children, asked 2,000 eight to seventeen-year-olds about the topic of online bullying.
According to the results published by Sky News, 15 per cent of the children who completed the survey admitted to bullying another online.
Almost 60 per cent of the bullies admitted that they did so to avoid being targeted themselves.
25 per cent of children said the bullying was a result of peer pressure, with 12 per cent revealing they bullied others because they felt unhappy.
Head of child protection at Action for Children, Deanna Nilson, found the results “shocking”.
“Low self-esteem, stress at school or being victimised themselves by peers or adults are all reasons a child might act out on others,” Nilson said.
Adding: “It’s important for parents to ask children about the day they’ve had online, just as they ask about the day they’ve had at school – whether your child is being bullied or bullying others, the problem, and any potentially more severe issues surrounding it, must be addressed”.
