Blog and Articles.

Sextortion and Suicide: Implications for Adolescent Image-Based Abuse

Background: Sextortion – the threatened dissemination of explicit, intimate, or embarrassingimages of a sexual nature without consent for the purpose of acquiring money, more images, orsomething else – has emerged as a critical public safety and public health concern for youth inrecent years.Objective: The current study explores the extent of sextortion among youth, as well […]

The post Sextortion and Suicide: Implications for Adolescent Image-Based Abuse appeared first on Cyberbullying Research Center.

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Preventing Cyberbullying Through Vicarious Supervision: Results from New Research

I’ve long been interested in the role of parents in preventing children from participating in problematic behaviors online. Parents should talk with their children about the responsible use of technology and allow access to apps and games at developmentally appropriate ages and in proper amounts. They should also utilize appropriate tools to restrict incidental access […]

The post Preventing Cyberbullying Through Vicarious Supervision: Results from New Research appeared first on Cyberbullying Research Center.

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Youth, Generative AI, and Social Chatbots: What We’re Learning, and What Comes Next

NOTE: Since April 2020, we have been offering every one of our presentations and trainings in virtual modalities (e.g., Zoom, WebEx, Teams). Reach out if you need specifics, as we’ve optimized the way we engage with our audiences from afar! This training – customized for either youth-serving practitioners or youth themselves – will equip attendees with a […]

The post Youth, Generative AI, and Social Chatbots: What We’re Learning, and What Comes Next appeared first on Cyberbullying Research Center.

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Vicarious supervision: Preventing cyberbullying through positive parent-child relationships

As youth face various Internet-based risks while interacting online, parents need theoretically grounded, evidence-based insights on strategies to prevent their child(ren) from participating in inappropriate behaviors. An approach that can facilitate better decision-making online, rooted in social bond and attachment theory, is a concept we term vicarious supervision. This perspective emphasizes the parent-child relationships in […]

The post Vicarious supervision: Preventing cyberbullying through positive parent-child relationships appeared first on Cyberbullying Research Center.

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Can a School Suspend a Student for Writing an Email that was Never Sent?

On the morning of October 9, 2024, “N.M.,” a sophomore at Marana High School in Marana, Arizona, was sitting next to his mother, Karalee Merrill, complaining about a poor grade he had received on an English assignment. His mom suggested he email the teacher to inquire about how to improve his grade. N.M. opened his […]

The post Can a School Suspend a Student for Writing an Email that was Never Sent? appeared first on Cyberbullying Research Center.

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New Research Shows Teen Sexting and Risk of Sextortion is Increasing

Sameer and I first collected data on teen sexting nearly a decade ago and found that 7-11% of 12-17-year-olds in the US had sent a sexually explicit image of themselves to someone else. About 15% had received such an image from someone else. Last year, we replicated this research and found that 24% of 13-17-year-olds […]

The post New Research Shows Teen Sexting and Risk of Sextortion is Increasing appeared first on Cyberbullying Research Center.

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When Sexting Goes Wrong: The Extent of Nonconsensual Sharing and Sextortion Among U.S. Teens

Purpose: Sexting, the sending or receiving of sexually explicit or sexually suggestive images or video, isa potentially risky behavior in which many youth participate. The purpose of this study was to examinethe extent of sexting, as well as related harms including nonconsensual sharing of content and sextortion,especially when sexting with those who are not current […]

The post When Sexting Goes Wrong: The Extent of Nonconsensual Sharing and Sextortion Among U.S. Teens appeared first on Cyberbullying Research Center.

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Black History Is Youth Protection

Racism, discrimination, and exclusion are all forms of bullying — and they have profound effects on young people’s mental health, especially on black youth. Each February, National Black History Month serves as both a celebration and a powerful reminder that Black history is American history, Black culture is American culture. The theme of Black History Month 2026 is “A Century of Black History Commemorations”

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Courage Has No Age: The Story of Ruby Bridges

In 1960, six-year-old Ruby Bridges walked into an all-white elementary school in New Orleans, escorted by federal marshals, while crowds shouted threats and hatred. She walked anyway. Each February, National Black History Month serves as both a celebration and a powerful reminder that Black history is American history, Black culture is American culture. The theme of Black History Month 2026 is “A Century of Black History Commemorations”

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How We Can Honor Black History Today

Honoring Black history is not confined to one month. It is a daily commitment to learning, listening, and leading with empathy. Each February, National Black History Month serves as both a celebration and a powerful reminder that Black history is American history, Black culture is American culture. The theme of Black History Month 2026 is “A Century of Black History Commemorations”

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Bradyn’s Law: Wisconsin’s Effort to Combat a Rise in Youth Sextortion

Bradyn Bohn was a 15-year-old freshman in the DC Everest School District in central Wisconsin. He loved sports, music, and making people laugh. Like most teens, he spent a lot of time online. One night in early March of this year, he met someone on Facebook who was fun and cute. While the details are […]

The post Bradyn’s Law: Wisconsin’s Effort to Combat a Rise in Youth Sextortion appeared first on Cyberbullying Research Center.

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OpenAI’s Teen Safety Blueprint, and What AI Platforms Should Do Next

OpenAI, which has at least 800 million weekly users, recently released its Teen Safety Blueprint. It is intended to serve as a framework designed to protect young users from the potential harms of AI chatbots. In the months leading up to the announcement, the company has faced wrongful death lawsuits, investigations by state attorneys general, […]

The post OpenAI’s Teen Safety Blueprint, and What AI Platforms Should Do Next appeared first on Cyberbullying Research Center.

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The Role of Hope in Bullying and Cyberbullying Prevention

Introduction: Research is clear that the cognitive-motivational internal asset of hope is significantly related to enhanced life satisfaction and psychological wellbeing. It has also shown promise in preventing participation in a variety of negative externalizing behaviors, especially antisociality, maladaptive coping, and various forms of aggression among young people. The current exploration evaluates the relationship between […]

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Cyberbullying Through the Lens of Trauma: An Empirical Examination of US Youth

AbstractBackground Scholars have argued that cyberbullying should be characterized as an Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) given its potential for traumatic impacts on youth development. Considering the current attention surrounding mental health and well-being among adolescents, it seems critical to empirically measure this relationship, and also determine if some types have a stronger negative influence.Methods Data […]

The post Cyberbullying Through the Lens of Trauma: An Empirical Examination of US Youth appeared first on Cyberbullying Research Center.

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