Engl. transl.: Cyberlife III – tension between fascination and danger. Cyberbullying among schoolchildren. Third empirical survey of parents, teachers and students in Germany (Follow-up study from 2013 and 2017)

Cyberbullying has become a long-lasting and persistent problem in schools and the social environment of young people. As early as 2013, the "Bündnis gegen Cybermobbing" examined this problem in a comprehensive empirical study. It highlighted the issue of cyberbullying by focusing on three different perspectives: parents, teachers and students. In 2017, a follow-up study replicated the results for the first time. Now the results have been reproduced for a second time to record changes and gain further information.

"Key findings: - Cyberbullying is a growing problem, with parents being overwhelmed, teachers not prepared, and schools too hesitant in their response. - The changes in school life as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic worsens the situation. Adolescents without institutional support against cyberbullying have to use the internet more intensively. - In the critical phase of puberty, young people are particularly vulnerable to cyberbullying. Low satisfaction with their own social situation increases vulnerability considerably. Prevention must therefore refer to the life situation beyond the internet. It needs to be directed towards building resilience. - Prevention is done far too little by schools, especially from the perspective of students. - Cyberbullying affects all types of schools, even primary schools. In the case of Hauptschulen and Werkrealschulen, cyberbullying acts as another form of social discrimination." Key findings: - Cyberbullying is a growing problem, with parents being overwhelmed, teachers not prepared, and schools too hesitant in their response. - The changes in school life as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic worsens the situation. Adolescents without institutional support against cyberbullying have to use the internet more intensively. - In the critical phase of puberty, young people are particularly vulnerable to cyberbullying. Low satisfaction with their own social situation increases vulnerability considerably. Prevention must therefore refer to the life situation beyond the internet. It needs to be directed towards building resilience. - Prevention is done far too little by schools, especially from the perspective of students. - Cyberbullying affects all types of schools, even primary schools. In the case of Hauptschulen and Werkrealschulen, cyberbullying acts as another form of social discrimination." (Bündnis gegen Cybermobbing e. V. 2020, 8-9; translated by the coder) "Key highlights (survey of parents): - Parents feel increasingly pressured and overwhelmed to carry out parenting tasks under the impact of an uncontrolled internet. - They clearly recognise that anonymity on the internet promotes a tendency towards violence among young people - online as well as offline. - They see their own children, in ever-increasing numbers, affected by cyberbullying. Pupils in primary schools are also increasingly exposed to this danger." (Bündnis gegen Cybermobbing e. V. 2020, 9; translated by the coder) "Key highlights (survey of teachers): - The teachers interviewed confirm trends observed by parents. Cyber violence is becoming a growing problem in schools. From their point of view, Hauptschulen and Werkrealschulen are affected the most. - Despite this development, the level of expertise among teachers in regards to preventing cyberbullying is decreasing. Additionally, schools are implementing fewer and fewer prevention measures. - Many teachers view the use of the internet in the classroom critically. They say that this leads to a loss of pedagogical time. Consequently, there is not enough time for the prevention of cyberbullying, which would have to be compensated for by institutional solutions." Bündnis gegen Cybermobbing e. V. 2020, 9; translated by the coder) "Key highlights (survey of students): - The number of students affected by cyberbullying is increasing. - Cyberbullying has an increasingly serious impact: the number of people expressing suicidal thoughts has increased by 20% since 2017. The proportion of affected students consuming alcohol and medication has risen by almost 30%. - The transition of schools to distance learning as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic has increased the likelihood of cyberbullying as young people have shifted some of their socialising to the internet. - Students who are unsatisfied with their daily social life are, particularly at risk. - School-based prevention against cyberbullying is hardly noticed by young people. Compared to 2017, perceived prevention has decreased even further. - It is not possible to distinguish between perpetrators and victims." Bündnis gegen Cybermobbing e. V. 2020, 9-10; translated by the coder)