So much for social networking

Many people tout the advantages of social networking. Doubtlessly there are many. However, there are many negatives and dark areas in the use of social networking - as this devastating report in The Independent reveals in "More than a million British youngsters being bullied online every day". There can be little doubt that the same sort of situation applies in other countries around the globe.

"More than a million young people are subjected to extreme online bullying every day in Britain, according to the biggest survey of internet abuse.

The explosion of social networking sites means seven out of 10 13-22 year-olds have now been cyber-bullied, a survey by the national anti-bullying charity Ditch The Label has found.

The growing problem now affects an estimated 5.43 million young people, with girls and boys equally likely to be targeted. Facebook was the most common place for it to occur, with young people twice as likely to be bullied there than on any other social network. More than half of its users said they had been victimised on the site at some point, compared to 28 per cent of Twitter users and 26 per cent of those on Ask.fm.

More than 10,000 young people were asked about their experiences of abuse over the internet and asked to rate its severity. One in five said they experienced bullying every day at a level which they rated eight or more out of 10."

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