One in five of teens has experienced cyber-bullying and more than half believe cyber-bullying is worse than face-to-face bullying.
These are just some of the key findings from a new study of more than 4,700 young people aged 13 to 18 from around the world.
The YouGov survey, commissioned by Vodafone, found that a quarter of those who had been cyber-bullied had closed down their social media accounts as a result.
More than a fifth who had suffered online abuse had missed school and more than 40 per cent said being cyber-bullied had made them feel depressed or helpless.
Of those who had been bullied, 38 per cent said they had not told their parents – because they felt ashamed or were scared that their parents would get involved.
Of the British children who took part in the survey more than half said that the bullying had made them think of themselves in a more negative way.
Fifteen per cent of UK teens had experienced cyber-bullying and just over a third thought online bullying was worse than bullying in person.
In response to the findings, the Vodafone Foundation is donating up to £100,000 to anti-bullying charities. It has also launched a #BeStrong campaign – a set of “support emojis” to raise awareness of the importance of conveying compassion, sympathy and support when friends are being bullied online. The emojis were selected by those who took part in the survey and are seen as a wordless way for social media users to express their support.
Vodafone Foundation director Andrew Dunnett said the results of the global survey would be “a serious concern for any parent”. He continued: “The new generation that was born digital thrives in a world of constant connectivity.
“But there are clear risks for young people as well as benefits and it is striking that cyber-bullying troubles many young people more than drug abuse.
“Our research showed many teenagers find it difficult to help their friends when cyber-bullying is happening and the #BeStrong campaign has been created to help them convey emotional support.”