• The Cyberlife study was launched in September 2019 by a psychology research team from the University of Bordeaux to better assess the influence of social networks on the academic success of adolescents and on their exposure to cyberbullying.

  • The first results from the parents' questionnaires are available and a scientific publication is planned in February 2022.

Parents and institutions find themselves helpless enough to fight against school bullying and cyber-bullying that affects adolescents. And these practices can give rise to desperate acts. A few days ago in Mulhouse, Dinah, a 14-year-old teenager, committed suicide and the trail of harassment is being considered at this stage of the investigation.

After responding to a call for projects from the national research agency, the Cyberlife study was launched in September 2019 by a psychology research team from the University of Bordeaux to better assess the influence of social networks on the academic success of adolescents and their exposure to cyberstalking.

The professor of psychology Mathilde Husky and three doctoral students began in early 2020 to interview students from 5th to 3rd and their parents, and they will ask them once a year, over three years.

The first results from the parents' questionnaires are available.

4% of cyber-harassed teens?

In September, based on responses from 1,010 parents of students, it emerged that 88% of adolescents have their own cell phone. Logically, the older they are, the more equipped they are: in 5th grade, 17% of teenagers do not have their own phone, compared to only 4% in 3rd grade. In light of the responses of the parents questioned, 65% have an account on at least one social network, the most used being Snapchat, Tik Tok and Instagram. 71% play video games and, of these, 62% play online. And in the latter category, one in two plays online with strangers.

There would be 4% of students harassed over the last 12 months, according to these preliminary results.

Of these, 91% have at least one social media account and 50% play video games online.

"We can think that this is an underestimated figure, points out Margot Biscond, doctoral student in the Cyberlife team.

It will have to be put in parallel with the results of the questionnaires filled out by the adolescents ”.

There is of course a gap between the practices of adolescents on social networks, and what their parents know about it.

A scientific publication planned for July 2022

At the moment there is no such study, in particular because doing research on minors requires additional authorizations. “We want to make an inventory on a subject on which there is no publication, specifies Margot Biscond. We are going to compare our data: cross for example the responses of a parent in 5th grade with those of a parent of a 3rd or even those collected in urban colleges with those of rural establishments. "

A scientific publication is planned for February 2022, and a contribution to a prevention policy from the end of the academic year.

The idea is to make it possible to identify profiles, typical behaviors that lead to harassment and cyberstalking in order to prevent them or limit their damage.

Participants are still wanted for the Cyberlife study: questionnaires are available online here. 

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Teens born in 2010 become a target on social networks

  • Social networks

  • Bullying

  • Cyber ​​harassment

  • Aquitaine

  • Teenager

  • Bordeaux