The St. Albert RCMP say they are seeing an increase in the amount of cyberbullying happening with youth in the city.
Social media apps like Snapchat, Instagram, Vista and TikTok are the most common locations for cyberbullying, said Const. MJ Burroughs from the St. Albert RCMP.
“Social Media has elevated cyberbullying compared to other types of bullying over the years,” said Burroughs, who works as a school resource officer.
In the schools, Burroughs deals with cyberbullying more than any other type of bullying. And because bullying has moved online, it can happen outside of school hours.
Often kids are bullied in front of others, or in a way that can be seen by others on social media, such as embarrassing comments, photos or videos, Burroughs said.
Frequent social media use can increase a child’s chance of being bullied, according to Statistics Canada. For kids using social networking sites, some 34 per cent are bullied online, compared to only 12 per cent of youth who aren’t using the platforms.
For kids who use video or instant messaging, some 36 per cent are cyberbullied if they constantly use social media, while only 14 per cent are cyberbullied if they don’t use social media, according to Statistics Canada.
Kids who find themselves the victims of cyberbullying should block and stop communicating with the perpetrator and report the incident to a trusted adult, Burroughs said.
To prevent cyberbullying, Burroughs advises youth not to share their device passwords or social media accounts with anyone, aside from their parents or guardians. Youth are also advised to turn on privacy settings in their social media accounts and turn off location settings on their devices and social media accounts.
Parents who are concerned their kid might be getting bullied should have open conversations with their child, and talk to the parents of the perpetrator involved, if it is possible and safe to do so, Burroughs said. The school should also be informed about the bullying incidents and if the situation is severe, the police should be involved.
Bullying can have a big impact on a youth’s mental and physical health, Burroughs said, including low self-esteem, loss of self-confidence, an increase in fear and anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress. Kids who have been bullied often have health problems like headaches, stomach aches, eating disorders and sleep problems.
