Online harassment has become so common that it can be hard to imagine the internet without it
Tina Meier, founder of the Megan Meier Foundation, poses for a photo in the foundation's office Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021, in St. Charles, Mo. Meier's daughter, Megan, committed suicide in 2007 at the age of 13 after being harassed by a"friend" on MySpace who later turned out to be the mother of a classmate who was using the fake account to bully the unsuspecting teen. PROVIDENCE, R.I.
Online harassment has become such a familiar part of the internet that it can be hard to imagine the web without it. From teen cyberbullying to authoritarian governments silencing dissent, online toxicity is a fact of life for everyone, with women, teens and religious and racial minorities the most likely to be targeted.In 2014, 15% of Americans said they had faced severe or significant online abuse, defined as stalking, physical threats, sustained harassment or sexual harassment.
“We’ve made so many strides — there’s more awareness now — but it’s easy to get frustrated and to feel like we’ve gotten nowhere," said Tina Meier, who started a foundation to teach kids and parents about online harassment after her daughter's suicide in 2006. Women are more likely than men to say online harassment is a serious problem, Pew found. They’re also more likely to report being the victims of online sexual harassment and more serious abuse such as threats of physical harm.
Anonymity can make it easier to be cruel without fear of offline repercussions. It's a phenomenon called the online disinhibition effect, and it's one reason why trolls feel comfortable saying things they would never say to someone in person. Tech companies say they are getting better at identifying and stopping harassment. For example, Instagram, which is owned by Facebook parent company Meta, made several changes designed to reduce harassment, including putting warning labels on potentially abusive language and making it easier to block or report harassers.by former employee Frances Haugen show that executives are aware of the potential for their products to be used to harass people. One internal study cited 13.
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