Digital bullying on rise among high school students in Türkiye, says ministry’s survey

Turkish high school students feel most vulnerable to violence in the digital realm, according to a survey by Türkiye’s Ministry of National Education (MEB).

The “Violence Perception Survey,” which was conducted among 10th and 11th-grade students, showed that behaviors such as sharing personal information and photos online without consent and being threatened are perceived as the most harmful forms of violence by these students.

Study highlights digital abuse among high school students

The survey was carried out in February, involving over 7,500 high school students from 26 different provinces across Türkiye. The results revealed that high school students’ perceptions of digital violence are quite similar to those of middle school students, who also participated in a similar survey last December.

Among the most common behaviors identified as violence by high school students were the sharing of private information and images on the internet and online threats. An overwhelming 92.3% of high school students considered these actions as violent, compared to 88.5% of middle school students.

Social media interactions: A new form of digital aggression

The survey also highlighted that high school students perceive certain online behaviors, such as deliberately not liking posts, withdrawing likes, and excluding individuals from groups, as forms of violence.

Nearly 40% of high school students admitted to deliberately not liking a friend’s post, while 29.8% confessed to occasionally withdrawing their likes. This behavior was identified as a new form of digital bullying, with students reporting that they experience the most violence in digital environments.

Over half of students report experiencing digital abuse

The research also explored how frequently students face digital abuse and engage in harmful behaviors themselves. More than half of the respondents (53%) reported having been subjected to insults or offensive language on social media at least once.

Additionally, 40.8% admitted to using insulting language or badmouthing others on social media. The results indicate that digital violence is not just a victim issue but is also perpetuated by students themselves, sometimes as witnesses or even perpetrators.

Rise of a two-way digital violence culture

The data also revealed that in serious violations like unauthorized information sharing, the victimization rate was 11.1%.

The survey found that the roles of “victim” and “perpetrator” in social media interactions are closely intertwined, showing that digital platforms have become a space where violence is often bidirectional.

Need for systematic preventive measures against digital violence

The findings underscore that digital violence is not just an individual issue, but also tied to social relationships and learned behavior patterns. To tackle this growing problem, the Ministry of National Education stressed the need to develop social-emotional skills among young people and strengthen control mechanisms in digital environments. They also emphasized the importance of educating families on digital media and promoting awareness campaigns across society.

The ministry called for enhanced protective and preventive intervention systems against all forms of violence, especially digital violence, and for the development of effective digital awareness and intervention strategies. Cooperation between public institutions, universities, civil society organizations, and families is urged to create a robust preventive framework.

What do students consider to be violence?

• 92.3%: Threats and the sharing of private information and photos online.
• 73.5%: Taking screenshots of their posts and sharing them.
• 72.8%: Being ridiculed for opposing a popular opinion.
• 61.3%: Having a past post criticized on social media.
• Around 20%: Not receiving likes on their posts intentionally, having likes removed, and being excluded from groups.

How often are students exposed to digital violence?

• 53%: Have been subjected to insults or offensive language on social media at least once.
• 33.5%: Have felt pressure on social media for not conforming to others.
• 38%: Have been ridiculed on social media for opposing popular opinions.

The survey’s findings present a concerning picture of digital violence in schools, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive intervention strategies to address this growing issue.