Bystander intervention on social media: Examining cyberbullying and reactions to systemic racism (Rashawn Ray, Melissa Brown, Edward Summers, Samantha Elizondo, and Connor Powelson, Brookings)

Over four billion people worldwide are estimated to use social media by 2025. Though a majority of people use social media to engage with family and friends, people also use platforms and apps to obtain news and engage with communities on a range of issues. The polarization and sharing of news content in an era of “alternative facts” and misinformation exacerbates potential conflicts online and can reinforce false rhetoric about specific social issues and racial groups. As a result, social media provides a forum for hate speech and cyberbullying to flourish with limited understanding about tools or tactics to counter these attacks. Consequently, about 70 percent of people report doing something abusive to someone online, a majority of whom report being cyberbullied themselves. Even more troubling, nearly 90 percent of teenagers report witnessing bullying online.

Bystander intervention on social media: Examining cyberbullying and reactions to systemic racism (brookings.edu)