Signs Your Teen is a Victim of Cyberbullying
August 12, 2013 RSS Feed Print
Anxiety and changes in online behavior are red flags that can indicate to parents that their teen is the target of cyberbullying.
Cyberbullying is serious, and scary. Teens can be harassed anytime, anywhere and by anyone.
The incessant taunting can drive students to take drastic measures. One Oregon teen attempted suicide after classmates harassed him online, and police are investigating whether cyberbullying was a factor in a recent suicide by a 12-year-old girl in New York, according to reports.
More than one in 10 teens feared for their safety or were afraid to go to school because of social media activity, according to a report by McAfee. The online security company interviewed close to 1,180 youth ages 10 to 23 for the June 2013 report.
Almost 15 percent of those surveyed reported being the target of cyberbullying, but only 6 percent of parents believed their teen had been a target, the report notes.
[Learn how parents teach teens to be bullies.]
While digital harassment doesn't leave physical signs such as bruises and black eyes, there are emotional and behavioral red flags that can tell parents if their high school student is a victim of online bullying.
If your high school student normally spends all night on Facebook and