Nearly half of U.S. teens have been bullied or harassed online, with physical appearance being seen as a relatively common reason why. Older teen girls are especially likely to report being targeted by online abuse overall and because of their appearance.
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Read a Q&A with Maeve Duggan, Pew Research Center research associate, on our survey examining online harassment in the United States.
Most Americans say that online harassment is a major problem, and many look to a host of institutions to curtail online abuse.
Quotes from Americans on their experiences with online harassment, from @pewresearch
Roughly four-in-ten Americans have personally experienced online harassment, and 62% consider it a major problem.
Predictions from experts about the online social climate in 2026, from @pewresearch and @ImagineInternet.
What the data show on bullying, drug and alcohol use, depression, violence and other common sources of parental concern.
Most online harassment consists of name-calling or trying to embarrass someone, but there is also the darker side of physical threats: stalking, sexual harassment and being harassed for a long period of time.
While social media sites were the most common place noted for online harassment in a recent Pew Research Center survey, about a fifth of internet users cited website comments sections as places where they had that experience.
A look at the prevalence of harassment online, its various forms, where it occurs, and how people respond.
Copyright 2024 Pew Research Center
