Russians note an increase in the level of aggression on the Internet

Every second Russian has encountered aggression on the Internet. Moreover, every third of their number acted as a victim. VK analysts found this out by surveying 2 thousand social network users. 42% of respondents believe that the level of cyberbullying online has increased over the past couple of years. 58% believe that cyberbullying is now as serious or more of a problem than real-life aggression.

VK researchers interpret cyberbullying as follows: online bullying, when a wave of negativity from many people is directed at one person or company. During the survey with the participation of 2 thousand men and women over 18 years of age, users of social networks from Russian cities with a population of more than 100 thousand people, one question was asked: how has the respondents’ attitude towards this topic changed over five years? Also, together with the consulting company UXSSR VK, conducted ten in-depth interviews with experts – teachers, psychologists and representatives of NGOs.

According to the results of a quantitative survey, 42% of users believe that the level of cyberbullying on the Internet has increased over the past couple of years. Researchers observed similar sentiments in 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic: then 49% were confident that there was more aggression. At the same time, public attention to the issue of bullying has also increased—39% of respondents think so. “The fund’s hotline has been operating since 2021, and we see that people are asking for help much more often, especially residents of large cities,” VK quotes psychologist, chief expert of the profile program “Bullying NET” Maria Afonina. “In addition, the problem as a whole has become be taken more seriously.”

Among the reasons for the increase in the level of bullying, more than half (67%) of respondents named impunity for aggressors. Psychologists note that it lies in the ability to remain anonymous on the Internet, and the massive nature of bullying only aggravates the situation. “As a rule, cyberbullying is group and carried out by an anonymous crowd. There are even special sites for blackmail, from which anonymous aggressors threaten users en masse. Because of this, bullies develop confidence in their own impunity,” explains Elizaveta Velikodvorskaya, coordinator of psychological services, crisis psychologist at the INGO women’s center.

The majority (38%) of survey participants believe that people of any gender and age can become victims of bullying. 24% of respondents indicate that these are most often high school students, 19% are high school students, 15% are young people aged 18–24. In 2019, teenagers, students and young people aged 22 to 30 were also in the highest risk group – 67% of respondents then noted them as the main victims of cyberbullying. According to the observations of psychologists, among the adult population, young women most often become victims of cyberbullying. As the study showed, there are quite a lot of reasons for bullying both among adults and among children. According to survey participants, these are nationality or race (24%), sexual orientation (23%), appearance (23%) and online behavior (19%).

When asked if you personally experience cyberbullying, 57% of respondents answered positively. Most often this happens in social networks, instant messengers and services for watching videos. Users were asked to choose the role in which they participated in online aggression (there was multiple choice). 81% identified themselves as witnesses, 33% as victims and 4% admitted to being aggressive online towards others. Last year there were 7% of all study participants. In 2019 the numbers were also at 4%.

For the most part, aggression is shown towards strangers – 48% answered this way. Bloggers, celebrities and famous people get it in 21% of cases. Teachers and students were attacked online by 17% and 16%, respectively. According to the bullies themselves, after displaying aggression they experienced a whole range of different emotions: irritation (26%), satisfaction (25%), depression (23%), relief (20%), despair (19%) and anxiety (16%) .

Experts note that among young people, girls are increasingly becoming victims of cyberbullying. “If previously the typical story was marriage-divorce-revenge, then over the past two or three years there have been more and more requests on the topic of cyberstalking. Often, after an unsuccessful breakup, a man follows a woman on social networks and threatens to publish her intimate photos,” says Elizaveta Velikodvorskaya.

When cyberbullying occurred, almost half (47%) of victims blocked the aggressor. Another 28% sent a complaint through a special button on the social network. Every fifth (20%) responded to the offender with aggression. After a confrontation with an aggressor, victims were irritated (46%) and felt offended (26%). At the same time, every fourth (24%) reported that their emotional state had not changed at all.

Half (49%) of study participants agree that cyberbullying is as serious a problem as aggression in real life. 39% believe that it is necessary to fight it through legislation. Respondents also advise not to communicate with strangers (31%) and not to react to aggression (28%). Another 28% believe that you can get rid of cyberbullying if you do not spend time on toxic online platforms.

Psychotherapist of the Doctis telemedicine service Elena Burdelova believes that the survey results “look logical”: “There are now a lot of offensive messages addressed to other people on the Internet, and sometimes one gets the impression that the sign is not important, offensive attacks can be made on any comment or opinion ” In her opinion, bullying is a sign of the aggressor’s dysfunction, and the “victim” should not engage in communication with him at all. “In a productive dispute there is always respect for the interlocutor; there is never any insult, humiliation, or devaluation of the other’s opinion. The first sign of bullying is becoming personal; at this point the argument should be stopped,” continues the psychologist. “Therefore, it is useful to use the “Complain” and “Flag insult” buttons so that such accounts are blocked over time.”

Natalia Kostarnova