As of the end of January 2023, there were 5.16 billion Internet users worldwide. The Internet has changed people’s lives, but at the same time it has also brought many problems, such as cyber violence or cyberbullying.

What is cyberbullying? Specifically, cyberbullying refers to abuse, bash, insult, defame, etc., the victim and cause threats or adverse effects on the person’s right, personal privacy, safety by using of various Internet platforms or technologies.

Common online violence includes verbal abuse, photos or videos containing malicious intent, revenge pornography (posting private photos or videos of others online), threats and intimidation, human flesh search, rumors that violate the personal rights of others, etc.

According to a June 30, 2022 report by the Institute for a Community with Shared Future (ICSF) and Communication University of China, nearly 30% of Chinese youth have experienced online violence, and 68.48% of youth have experienced online violence on social media platforms; according to the survey data of the “Youth Internet Safety Research” conducted by the China Youth Research Center in 2021, 17.4% of teenagers have suffered cyber violence while surfing the Internet; according to the latest findings of the Anti-Defamation League in May 2022, 41% of Americans said they had experienced online hate speech or harassment; according to the Guardian in November 2022, 3/4 of female journalists had experienced online violence in the course of their work, and 25% of them had experienced threats of physical violence, including death threats. of the threat of physical violence, and 18% have been threatened with sexual violence. The pressure from online violence has become very serious at current stage. Cyber violence has seriously affected the lives of people in all countries.

Long-term exposure to online violence can have a negative impact on people’s physical and mental health and can lead to illnesses such as heart disease, insomnia or depression. The worst situation is that many people choose to harm themselves or commit suicide due to the pressure from cyber violence. Since the source of online violence is difficult to trace, the definition is very vague, and the harm caused is difficult to assess, it is also difficult for governments and laws to completely eliminate online violence.

So how should we avoid suffering from cyber violence as an individual?

1. For individuals in the face of potential cyber violence, it is recommended to avoid publishing their own and family members’ privacy on social media to prevent the exposed personal information from being used by the attackers. If you want to post personal content, we suggest you write it in your own local diary app (e.g. iTwi, TwiNote, etc.), or simply in a paper diary. For photos or videos, you can put them in your phone’s album. It’s not necessarily to post these contents on the Internet.

2. Delete any text, pictures or videos you have previously posted that contain personal information.

3. When posting controversial comments, express yourself in a friendly manner and do not use profanity to attack others.

4. If the platform supports anonymity, try to post contents anonymously.

5. Try not to argue with others if it’s not necessary, and don’t initiate personal attacks on others.

6. Blacklist some people with malicious intent in advance to prevent further deterioration.

7. Set complex login passwords to prevent your account from being stolen by others.

8. Try not to post controversial information on platforms that do not support real-name authentication to prevent getting into trouble.

9. Go online more often to make real friends and get closer to nature, you will get more happiness.

If you suffer from cyber violence, stay optimistic and positive, after all, you can live a good life by throwing away your phone and staying away from the Internet. If you are facing serious cyber violence, please call the police and contact the relevant government departments for their support.