It is well known that adult women experience harassment online. It can be stressful, frustrating, and abusive. What many parents do not realize is that teenage girls are also experiencing online harassment. It might be a good idea to sit down and ask your teenager about what she has faced via social media.
The Pew Research Center did a study called “Teens, Technology, and Romantic Relationships”. Both male and female teens were included in the study. The teens were between the ages of 13 and 17. All of them were American.
Some of the study revealed data about how teens use social media to flirt or express interest in someone they have a crush on. It is clear that some of what is happening is healthy and age appropriate.
Other aspects of the study revealed some of the negative things that teenage girls are experiencing online. The study said that girls are more likely to be the targets of uncomfortable flirting tactics than boys are. A total of 35% of all teen girls had to block or unfriend someone who was flirting in a way that made them uncomfortable. Only 16% of boys have had to unfriend of block someone for that reason.
The Pew study found that fully 31% of 13- and 14-year-old girls have blocked or unfriended someone because the person was flirting in a way that made them uncomfortable. That is nearly triple the rate of 13- and 14-year old boys who have had to block or unfriend someone for the same reason. The percentage gets a bit higher for older teen girls – around 38%.
It should be noted that unfriending, or blocking, someone on social media comes with social consequences. The person who blocked or unfriended someone may face harassment from that person’s friends. Sometimes, people who have been blocked will make additional accounts specifically for the purpose of continuing to contact, and harass, the person who blocked them.
Many teens are public (on social media) about their romantic relationship. This is both good and bad. The good thing is it allows their friends to support them and their relationship. The bad thing is that many teens feel that things are too public and people get nosy.
Some teens have experienced controlling or harmful behaviors on social media from a current or former romantic partner. 22% had a partner say really mean things to them on the internet or cellphone. 21% had a partner read their text messages without permission.
13% had a partner demand to know their email and social media passwords. 11% have had a romantic partner contact them and threaten to hurt them. 8% had a romantic partner post information online for the purpose of harassing or embarrassing their partner (or former partner).
Image by John Loo on Flickr.
Related Articles on Families.com:
* Teaching Teenagers About the Dangers of Internet Predators
* Something Important to Look for in Teen Dating