WHAT  THE  TECH?  Understanding  Kids’  Behavior  

Online  and  Offline  

2

50%  males  /  50%  females  

Who  was  surveyed?  

!   1,000  teens  (ages  13  to  18)  in  Middle  School/Jr.  High  and  High  School  took  an  online  survey  about  their  internet  acLviLes,  and  their  percepLons  of  peer  bullying  and  harassment.    Of  these  1,000  teens…  

   

White/  Caucasian  

Hispanic/  La=no  

Black/  African-­‐American  

Asian/  Pacific  Islander  

Other  

64%  

14%  

13%  

5%  

3%  

Ethnicity  reflected  2010  Census  

Jr  High/  Middle  School  

9th  grade  10th  

grade  

11th  grade  

12th  grade  

3

TEEN  PROFILE    

4

How  teens  feel  most  comfortable  communicaLng  with  their  friends  

In  person  –  53%  

Over  the  phone  –  4%  

Online  –  17%  

By  Text  –  26%  

5

68%  of  teens  say  their  online  image  is  no  different  from  the  image  they  have  at  school  

!   For  those  who  do  have  a  different  image  online,  teens  feel  they  can  be  more  outgoing,  and  more  powerful  than  they  are  at  school  –  especially  teen  girls:  !   I  am  more  likely  to  be  social  (50%)  

(62%  of  girls)    

!   I  can  be  myself  more  (50%)  (66%  of  girls)  

!   I  am  more  exci=ng  (39%)  (44%  of  girls)    

!   I  am  more  likely  to  be  flirta=ous  (30%)  (36%  of  girls)    

!   I  am  more  rebellious  (19%)  (25%  of  girls)  

!   Boys  and  girls  are  equally  likely  to  say  they  are  “cooler”  online  (37%)  

!   Girls  place  more  emphasis  on  their  self-­‐esteem,  such  as  only  pos=ng  “good  pictures”  of  themselves  (45%  vs.  18%  of  boys)  or  feeling  more  able  to  stand  up  for  themselves  (50%  vs.  30%)  

6

Online  AcLvity  

!   Teens  spend  an  average  of  3.9  hours  per  day  online  –  Teen  males  in  the  12th  grade  are  the  most  connected,  at  4.7  hours  per  day.  

!   Teens  who  are  more  introverted/less  popular  tend  to  spend  more  =me  online.  

!   Introverts  –  5.4  hours  (Extroverts  –  3.4)  

!   Students  who  feel  unpopular  –  4.9  hours  (Popular/well-­‐liked  –  3.6/3.8)  

!   Kids  who  have  experienced  bullying  –  4.1  hours  (Kids  who  have  not  experienced  bullying  –  3.5)    

!   Teens  with  higher  grades  spend  less  =me  online,  and  are  more  likely  to  feel  they  are  popular.    

!   These  academically  stronger  teens  are  also  less  likely  to  have  experienced  bullying.  

   

   

0%   20%   40%   60%  

Talking  with  friends  

Looking  up  answers  to  ques=ons  I  have  

Playing  games  

School  related  searches  and  projects  

Self-­‐Expression  

Talking  with  boyfriend/girlfriend  

Mee=ng  new  people  

Shopping  

Blogging  

Online  AcLviLes  Teens  Do  “A  Lot”  Total  

7

84%  of  teens  have  a  Facebook  account  that  they  use  regularly  

!   46%  are  friends  with  their  parents  on  Facebook,  but  21%  of  those  block  their  parents  from  seeing  certain  posts  

0%   20%   40%   60%   80%   100%  

Facebook  

Skype  

Twiher  

Face  Time  

MySpace  

Accounts  teens  currently  have  and  use  regularly  

Total  

8

PEER  HARASSMENT  AND  BULLYING  

 

9

Even  though  most  teens  feel  others  are  more  likely  to  be  unkind  online  than  in  person,  only  9%  admit  to  being  meaner  themselves  

68%  14%  

18%  

In  your  experience,  are  people  more  or  less  likely  to  be  unkind  to  others  online  

than  in  person?  

More  likely  

Less  likely  

No  difference  

73%  of  teen  females  feel  people  are  more  likely  to  be  unkind  online  than  in  person  

(compared  to  62%  of  teen  males)  

0%   50%   100%  

They  make  mean  comments  

They  pass  along  hurjul  gossip  

They  post  untrue  things  

They  ahack  others  for  no  reason  

Ways  people  are  more  likely  to  be  unkind  online  

Total  

Males  

Females  

94%  of  teen  females  say  people  are  more  likely  to  make  mean  comments  online  

(compared  to  82%  of  teen  males)  

10

Most  teens  consider  bullying  people  to  be  one  of  the  worst  things  you  can  do  

Bullying  ranks  alongside  smoking  cigare1es  and  

drinking  alcohol  as  “one  of  the  worst  things  you  can  do”  

Doing  drugs  –  84%  

 Shopliling,  smoking  cigarehes,  bullying  

people  in  person  –  72-­‐78%  

 Drinking  alcohol,  bullying  people  online  –  

67%  

 Ditching  school,  lying  to  parents  –  56-­‐59%  

 

“ONE  OF  THE  WORST  THINGS  YOU  CAN  DO”  

 

11

Teens  disLnguish  “drama”  from  “bullying”  both  in  how  they  define  it,  and  how  they  perceive  its  gravity  

Teens  rank  star5ng  drama  below  having  sex  as  “one  of  the  worst  

things  you  can  do”  

Ditching  school,  lying  to  parents  –  56-­‐59%  

 Having  sex,  chea=ng  on  a  test  –  46-­‐47%  

 StarLng  drama  in  person,  lying  to  

teachers,  starLng  drama  online  –  40-­‐42%  

 Lying  to  a  boyfriend/girlfriend,  lying  to  friends  –  38-­‐36%  

 

“ONE  OF  THE  WORST  THINGS  YOU  CAN  DO”  

 

12

17%  of  teens  have  started  “drama”  online  Teen  girls  are  more  likely  than  teen  boys  to  have  started  “drama”  online,  and  are  more  likely  to  do  it  in  retaliaLon,  or  because  the  person  annoys  them  

“Drama  is  a  li1le  like  bullying.    Some5mes,  drama  is  bullying  through  lies  and  false  rumors.    Some  people  like  to  cause  drama  and  do  it  for  fun.    Girls  are  most  likely  to  be  involved  with  drama.    Drama  is  really  just  a  term  for  emo5onally  figh5ng  with  someone  or  figh5ng  that  is  unnecessary.”  (Female,  11th  grade)  

Reasons  for  starLng  drama  online  

They  started  with  me  first  

They  bothered  me  

They  were  annoying  

It  was  fun  

They  have  no  friends  

13

Girls  and  boys  have  different  percepLons  of  what  behaviors  are  cause  for  concern  

!   Very  concerned:  !   Causing  someone  harm  78%    

         (87%  of  girls)  

!   Revealing  inappropriate/sexual  informaLon  about  someone  online  69%              (81%  of  girls)  

!   Revealing  inappropriate/sexual  informaLon  about  someone  in  person  67%              (76%  of  girls)  

!   Other  behaviors  teens  would  be  very  concerned  about:  

!   Saying  mean  things  in  person  about  someone  51%  

!   Calling  someone  sexual  names  in  person  48%  

!   Saying  mean  things  online  about  someone  48%  

!   Calling  someone  sexual  names  online  46%  

!   Not  concerned:  !   Calling  someone  sexual  names  online  18%    

         (25%  of  boys)  

!   Calling  someone  sexual  names  in  person  18%              (23%  of  boys)  

!   Saying  mean  things  online  about  someone  13%              (18%  of  boys)  

14

Social  networking  sites  rank  at  the  top  of  places  teens  think  peer  bullying  and  harassment  occur  

Social  Networking  Sites   At  School  (in  person)  

Text  Message  

65%   56%  

39%  

Outside  of  School  (in  person)  

40%  

15

58%  of  teens  have  experienced  peer  bullying  or  harassment  

7%  

53%  

40%  

Where  the  bullying/harassment  took  place  

Online  

In  Person  

Online  and  In  Person  65%  of  boys  

48%  of  girls  

Few  teens  are  bullied  exclusively  online  –    almost  all  who  have  been  bullied  or  harassed  online    

also  experienced  it  in  person.  

16

Around  60%  of  bullied/harassed  teens  reported  the  incident,  typically  turning  to  their  parents  

Teens  are  less  likely  to  

report  bullying  or  

harassment  that  

happens  online.  

Who  did  you  tell?   Online   At  School  

My  parents   38% 42%

My  friends   30% 26%

A  trusted  adult  at  home   10% 19%

A  trusted  adult  at  school   10% 5%

17

Why  did  you  not  tell  anyone  when  you  were  bullied  or  harassed…   Online  by  a  peer   In  person  by  a  peer  

I  thought  I    could  handle  it  myself   69% 51%

It  happens  to  everyone   48% 35%

I  didn’t  know  what  to  say   44% 30%

I  didn’t  think  anyone  would/could  help  me   39% 20%

I  was  too  embarrassed  to  say  anything   37% 28%

I  didn’t  know  who  to  tell   33% 22%

I  was  worried  I  would  get  blamed,  or  people  would  think  it  was  my  fault   32% 21%

I  didn’t  want  anyone  to  think  I  wasn’t  popular  or  cool   20% 18%

I  didn't  want  to  get  the  harasser  in  trouble   19% 16%

Teens  who  don’t  report  online  bullying  or  harassment  may  not  know  how  to  explain  the  

situaLon,  or  may  not  think  an  adult  will  understand  enough  to  be  able  to  help.    There  is  a  

need  among  parents  and  teachers  for  educaLon  about  how  bullying  occurs  online.  

Higher  among  girls  than  boys  

18

Teens  also  minimize  the  harm  of  online  bullying  and  harassment,  and  are  less  likely  to  think  there  is  a  need  for  their  friends  to  help  or  for  an  adult  to  intervene.  

 If  you  were  being  bullied  or  harassed  online  and/or  in  person,  what  would  

you  want  your  friends  to  do  to  help  you  in  each  situaLon?  

Bullied/harassed  online   Bullied/harassed  in  person  

Confront  online  the  people  bullying  or  harassing  me  and  tell  them  to  stop   57% 36%

Encourage  me  to  ignore  it   53% 48% Give  me  advice  about  how  to  get  it  to  

stop,  but  let  me  handle  it  myself   52% 61% Talk  to  a  trusted  adult  at  home  for  

advice   40% 61% Have  my  friend  stand  up  to  the  bully   38% 57%

Confront  in  person  the  people  bullying  or  harassing  me  and  tell  them  to  stop   37% 64% Talk  to  a  trusted  adult  at  school  for  

advice   35% 58% Ask  an  adult  to  intervene  for  me   33% 56%

Other   13% 16% Not  do  anything   8% 5%

ConfrontaLon  is  higher  among  popular/  unpopular,  

and  extrovert/  introvert  than  those  more  in  the  middle  

19

61%  of  teens  think  their  friends  would  not  be  proud  of  them  for  reporLng  being  bullied  or  harassed…  

39%  

33%  

16%  

12%  

How  their  friends  would  feel  if  they  told  someone  about  being  bullied/harassed  

Proud  of  me  

Wouldn't  care  

Disppointed  in  me  

Embarrassed  by  me  

…with a portion actually worried about their friends being embarrassed or disappointed.

20

For  those  who  have  not  experienced  peer  bullying  or  harassment,  likelihood  to  tell  their  parents  if  bullying  occurs  depends  on  the  severity  of  the  incident  

Yes,  always  30%  

Yes,  if  it  was  severe  38%  

No,  probably  not  

15%  

Never  5%  

Not  sure/it  depends  12%  

Would  you  tell  your  parents  if  you  were  being  bullied?  

21

0%   20%   40%   60%  

Helped  my  friend  stand  up  to  the  bully  

Told  my  friend  to  just  ignore  it  

Tried  to  give  my  friend  advice,  but  let  them  handle  it  

Confronted  the  bully  in  person  and  told  them  to  stop  

Confronted  bully  online  and  told  them  to  stop  

Talked  to  a  trusted  adult  at  home  or  school  for  advice  

Talked  to  another  friend  for  advice  

Asked  an  adult  to  intervene  for  my  friend  

I  did  not  try  to  help  

What  they  did  to  help  their  friend  who  was  being  bullied  online  

Total  

8%  

51%  

41%  

Where  the  bullying/harassment  took  place  

Online  

In  Person  

Online  and  In  Person  59%  of  boys  

46%  of  girls  

68%  of  teens  have  a  friend  who  has  experienced  peer  bullying  or  harassment  (72%  of  girls)  

Teens who have experienced bullying themselves are more likely to have stood up for a friend

Despite the fact that “confronting" an online bully/harasser is what most people want their friends to do, they are less likely to actually have done it in a real situation (37% vs. 57% who would want a friend to confront an online bully/harasser for them)

22

Many  acLviLes  that  are  bullying  or  harassment  aren’t  seen  as  such,  or  not  to  the  extent  of  needing  someone  to  intervene.  

Believe  Not  Bullying,  or  No  IntervenLon  Needed  

ACTIVITY   Happening  between  non-­‐friends  

Happening  between    close  friends  

A  cri=cal  comment  about  the  things  the  person  likes  (music,  clothes,  etc.)  personally  to  them  

(email/text/IM)  66%   62%  

A  cri=cal  comment  about  the  way  someone  looks  personally  to  them  (email/text/IM)   50%   52%  

More  than  one  person  being  cri=cal/making  fun  of  a  person  personally  to  them  (email/text/IM)   31%   37%  

Threats  to  the  person  personally  to  them  (email/text/IM)   22%   28%  

Revealing  personal  informa=on  about  the  person  without  their  permission  in  one-­‐on-­‐one  

conversa=on  53%   50%  

Cri=cal  comments  about  the  person  to  others  (not  the  target  person)  in  one-­‐on-­‐one  

conversa=on  53%   56%  

Though  less  than  half  think  

interven=on  is  needed  

23

Perhaps  the  anonymity  of  bullying  non-­‐friends  in  social  networks  leads  more  teens  to  discount  the  severity  of  these  acLviLes.  

Believe  Not  Bullying,  or  No  IntervenLon  Needed  

ACTIVITY  Happening  

between  non-­‐friends  

Happening  between    

close  friends  A  cri=cal  comment  about  the  things  the  person  

likes  (music,  clothes,  etc.)  on  their  social  networking  site  

67%   61%  

Cri=cal  comments  about  the  person  to  others  (not  the  target  person)  on  a  social  networking  

site  56%   53%  

A  cri=cal  comment  about  the  way  someone  looks  on  their  social  networking  site   53%   53%  

Revealing  personal  informa=on  about  the  person  without  their  permission  on  a  social  

networking  site  42%   35%  

More  than  one  person  being  cri=cal/making  fun  of  a  person  on  their  social  networking  site   33%   39%  

Threats  to  the  person  on  their  social  networking  site   22%   29%  

Though  less  than  half  think  interven=on  is  

needed  

24

TECH  AND  TEEN  SEX    

25

Teens  know  about  ‘sexLng’,  and  close  to  half  of  teen  girls  have  received  a  sexy  picture/text  or  know  someone  who  has.  

91%  of  teen  females  know  what  ‘sexLng’  is  (compared  to  84%  of  teen  males)  

46%  of  teen  females  have  (or  know  someone  who  has)  received  a  sexual  picture  or  text  

What  happened  aFer  sent  picture/text:  

 People  gossiped                                        32%  Boyfriend/Girlfriend  like  it    31%  Nobody  no=ced                                        30%  

0%   20%   40%   60%  

Yes  

Sent/Know  Someone  Who  Sent  Sexy  Pic  or  Text  

Total  

Males  

Females  

26

ENOUGH!  STANDING  UP  TO  PEER  

BULLYING  AND  HARASSMENT    

27

Teens  get  that  it’s  a  dangerous  world  out  there;  they  need  their  parents  to  get  that  it’s  a  teen’s  world  is  dangerous,  too.    

!   Parents  have  done  a  great  job  of  warning  their  kids  –  especially  their  daughters  –  about  sexual  predators,  revealing  personal  informa=on  online,  and  inappropriate  pictures/texts,  but  online  bullying  is  not  yet  as  much  a  part  of  the  conversa=on.  

75%  

65%  

54%  

49%  

39%  

39%  

66%  

56%  

44%  

40%  

33%  

35%  

84%  

74%  

63%  

57%  

46%  

43%  

Not  releasing  personal  informa=on  about  yourself  

Child  predators  contac=ng  you  

Sending  a  naked  or  inappropriate  photo  of  yourself  to  someone  on  the  internet  

Sending  a  "dirty"  text  message  or  email  

Being  bullied  by  someone  on  the  internet  

Bullying  someone  on  the  internet  

Total  

Males  

Females  

28

Teens  know  their  parents  would  be  proud  of  them  for  standing  up  to  a  bully.    It’s  a  maqer  of  parents  lerng  their  teens  know  they  understand  online  bullying/  harassment,  and  that  it’s  wrong.  

ONLINE   Parents  would  be  proud  if  you…   IN  PERSON  

71% Stood  up  for  someone  you  saw  being  bullied  or  harassed   82%

ONLINE   Friends  would  be  proud  if  you…   IN  PERSON  

55% Stood  up  for  someone  you  saw  being  bullied  or  harassed   65%

ONLINE   Friends  wouldn’t  care  if  you…   IN  PERSON  

53%   Did  not  stand  up  for  someone  you  saw  being  bullied  or  harassed   45%  

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When  the  bullying  happens  online,  peers  are  less  likely  to  tell  others  and  more  likely  to  show  support  through  online  means  

If  you  witness  someone  gerng  bullied,  harassed,  or  made  fun  of  (in  person  or  online),  what  are  the  most  

effecLve  ways  to  intervene?  

Bullying/Harassment  Online  

Bullying/Harassment    In  Person  

Tell  the  harasser  to  stop   51% 56%

Tell  a  teacher  or  other  adult   43% 55%

Confront  the  bully  in  person   38% 47%

Support  the  person  being  bullied   49% 46%

Geqng  others  to  support  the  person  being  harassed   43% 44%

Geqng  others  to  disapprove   39% 37%

Go  up  to  the  person  offline  and  offer  support   34% 33%

Message  the  person  being  bullied  privately   33% 19%

Pos=ng  something  so  everyone  can  see  your  support   29% 12%

         Higher  for  girls   Higher  for  populars  

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Why  Teens  Don’t  Intervene  

!   FEAR  FOR  THEMSELVES:  !   Fear  of  being  bullied/harassed  67%    

         (77%  of  girls)  

!   Fear  of  being  called  a  snitch    66%  !   Fear  of  physical  harm    56%  

!   LOSS  OF  SOCIAL  POSITION:  !   Being  seen  as  uncool  55%            Girls  &  Extroverts  !   Losing  social  credibility  52%          Girls  &  Extroverts  

!   INDIFFERENCE:  !   Feel  its  none  of  their  business    59%  !   Don’t  care  about  person  being  bullied  42%  

!   Person  deserves  to  be  bullied    24%          Girls  

!   ADULTS  RESPONSIBILITY:  !   Won’t  be  listened  to    36%  

!   Adults  should  help,  not  kids    24%  

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What  Would  Help  Them  To  Stand  Up  

!   NOT  BEING  ALONE:  !   Friend  supports  me    65%            Girls  &  Popular  !   Others  will  join  me    62%              Girls  &  Popular  

!   ADULTS  RESPONSIBILITY:  !   Knowing  school  will  take  acLon    54%  !   Learning  how  to  stand  up  to  a  bully    45%  

!   ANONYMITY:  !   Report  anonymously  to  an  adult    52%  

!   GAIN  IN  SOCIAL  POSITION:  !   Others  will  think  highly  of  me    49%  !   Its  seen  as  cool    28%  (equal  by  gender)  

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Those  who  stand  up  to  bullies  are  seen  as  BRAVE,  HEROIC  and  COOL  (more  so  by  girls).    

Though  agreement  with  this  starts  to  diminish  auer  10th  grade  

BRAVE:    70%    

SOMEONE  TO    ADMIRE:    53%    

DOESN’T  CARE  WHAT  PEOPLE  THINK:    39%    HEROIC:    55%    

COOL:    54%    

SOMEONE  I  DON’T  WANT  TO  ASSOCIATE  

WITH:    4%    

GLAD  THEY  DID,  I  COULDN’T:    38%    

SECRETLY,  NOT  OPENLY,  ADMIRE:    

20%    

UNCOOL:    4%    

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Online:  Parents  Serng  Rules  &  Monitoring  

RULES  Around  half  have  rules  when  using  the  

Internet  

Most  have  rules  up  to  9th  grade  and  then  drops  significantly  in  the  10th  grade  

 

What  Rules?  No  explicit  or  age  restricted  websites  (61%)  

Time  limit  (38%)  

Money  spent  limit  (28%)  

Parent  has  passwords  (26%-­‐skew  girls)  

Parent  checks  their  accounts  and  messages  (26%  -­‐skew  girls)  

Parent  blocked  certain  sites  (23%-­‐skew  boys)  

 

MONITORING  

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Parents  should  monitor  usage  and  set  rules  

 Children  with  parents  who  set  rules  regarding  their  online  usage  and  those  whose  parents  are  aware  of/monitor  their  ac5vi5es  

online  are:    

 MORE  LIKELY  

To  tell  their  parents  when  they’ve  been  bullied  

To  tell  their  parents  OVER  their  friends  

To  think  their  parents  will  be  proud  of  them  for  standing  up  

To  assign  posi=ve  descriptors  to  those  who  stand  up  against  

bullying  

 LESS  LIKELY  

To  have  been  involved  in  crea=ng  “drama”  

To  have  received  sexual  material  or  to  know  someone  who  has  

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Half  of  teens  say  their  parents  have  rules  for  them  about  using  the  Internet  

!   Boys  and  girls  are  equally  likely  to  have  restric=ons  about  how  they  use  the  internet:  

!   No  explicit  or  age-­‐restricted  websites  

!   Time  limit  

!   Limit  to  the  amount  of  money  I  can  spend  

!   Girls  are  more  likely  than  boys  to  have  to  give  their  parents  access  to  their  online  ac=vi=es:  

!   Parents  have  their  passwords  

!   Parents  checks  accounts  and  messages  when  they  want  to  

!   Boys are more likely than girls to have restrictions on what they can do on the internet:  

!   Parent  has  blocked  access  to  certain  sites  

!   Only  use  it  for  school  

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ROLE  OF  THE  SCHOOL    

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While  less  than  20%  of  teens  feel  adults  at  school  know  about  peer  bullying/  harassment  and  don’t  do  anything,  they  are  more  

likely  to  think  that  adults  simply  don’t  know  about  it.  

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Teens  believe  School  Administrators  should  intervene  MORE  when  bullying/harassment    happens  at  school  than  when  it  

happens  online…  

…though  they  admit  the  majority  of  this  behavior  occurs  on  social  networking  sites  

How  do  you  think  your  school  should  handle  bullying  and  peer  sexual  

harassment  that  occurs…  Online   At  School  

Talk  to  the  harasser's  parents   54% 63%

Educate  students  about  the  impact  of  online  bullying   46% 63%

Suspension   45% 62%

Make  the  harasser  apologize   32% 43%

Conflict  resolu=on/media=on   30% 37%

Deten=on   30% 46%

Expulsion   25% 40%

Nothing,  the  incident  did  not  happen  at  school/they  shouldn’t  

do  anything  12% 4%