Bullying goes digital and worldwide

STAVANGER, Norway, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Digital bullying -- on the rise among young people worldwide -- needs to be combated, a Norwegian researcher says.

Tove Flack of the University of Stavanger in Norway says surveys indicate two out of three children using the Internet or cellphones experience bullying or harassment on a regular basis. Twice as many girls as boys report being digitally bullied, Flack says.

Flack, a research fellow, says her counseling experience and research show for many victims cyber bullying -- bullying via computer -- is only one of several ways to harass victims.

"This may mean that they never have any protected place. At school, they are left out or maligned and when they come home they receive insults on mobile phones and Net," Flack says in a statement. "Access to social media in recent years has unfortunately given us some new bullying tools."

These tools, says Flack, can provide the ability to quickly freeze someone out or even form a hate group. Bigger audiences can be created for offensive images and characterizations -- even the general public.

Meanwhile, messages that seem anonymous lower bullying thresholds.

Flack says many bullies seem unaware of how hurtful bullying can be or that they could be held accountable for their actions.