In one year, cases of cyberbullying have increased by 26.1% compared to September 2019.
As the first International Day of combating bullying at school On 5 November, the e-Enfance Association will present an initial assessment of the trends recorded on its Net Ecoute 0800 200 000 platform since lockdown began and will reveal the findings of a study on cyberviolence.
1- Review of the Net Ecoute 0800 200 000 platform
During lockdown, the listening platform of the e-Enfance Association, the benchmark for the protection of minors on the Internet, had recorded an increase of 30 % of its requests generating twice as many reports to platforms. Numerous accounts have been closed in cooperation with Snapchat and Instagram in particular, due to proven cyberviolence such as sexual blackmail via webcam (sextortion), the revenge pornography, or the identification of «Ficha» accounts. Calls concerning the bullying at school had logically fallen over this period, with a shift towards cases of cyberbullying.
Since the lifting of lockdown restrictions, The trends recorded during lockdown on Net Ecoute are confirmed, with a continued increase in requests related to cyberbullying (+ 26 % compared to September 2019) followed by personal data breaches. Sexual blackmail via webcam remains the most frequently reported offence, often affecting 14-year-old boys. The proportion of cases of bullying at school registered at the start of the 2020 school year rose slightly but did not return to the levels of September 2019, which remain half as much.
The lockdown period marked a new era in which digital technology became widespread in all households and grew stronger in all areas of use. The risks are significant for teenagers who are having their first experiences in the digital sphere, alone on their smartphones..
2- Study on cyber violence
The study made with OpinionWay by the e-Enfance Association and Lab Heyme reveals that that one in ten teenagers report having already been victim of cyberbullying.
The reasons most frequently cited by victims are «jealousy/envy», physical appearance («physical appearance» and «dress sense») and «revenge».
Listed authors, « For fun and to fit in with others» are the primary reasons mentioned by young people who liked, commented on, or shared an insulting comment.
And yet, according to the same study, some acts of cyberbullying are still not identified as malicious acts by teenagers. For 15 % of them, «Liking an insulting comment is not considered cyberbullying..
Justine Atlan, Managing Director of the e-Enfance Association, comments: « The difficult period we are going through is causing increasing tension, which is also being reflected on social media. Lockdown has permanently changed our habits, further integrating digital technology into our daily lives. We must remain vigilant about the consequences for children and young people, which are not yet fully apparent. We must remain attentive. as we do every day on our helpline 0800 200 000. »
Press Contacts
Gaëlle de Montoussé – 06 09 77 51 04 – g.demontousse@e-enfance.org
Sandra Tricot – 06 65 85 85 65 – stricot@kbzcorporate.com
About the e-Enfance Association
Recognised as being of public utility, the e-Enfance Association has been the benchmark for protecting minors on the Internet since 2005. Approved by the French Ministry of Education, it offers interventions in schools, training on the risks and proper use of the Internet, and operates the Net Ecoute helpline to combat cyberbullying.
Free, anonymous, and confidential, Net Listening 0800 200 000 is the national toll-free number specialising in the protection of minors on the Internet. It is the only alert system directly linked to social networks, the «Pharos» platform of the National Police and the «Brigade numérique» of the National Gendarmerie, and the 119-Enfance en danger helpline.
