One in seven children admit to online bullying
One in seven children say they have bullied someone online according to a poll.
Many claimed they did it to try and fit in, others revealed they turned to bullying to avoid becoming a target themselves, or due to peer pressure.
Action for Children, which commissioned the survey, said it was "shocking" that online bullying is so widespread, but added it is important to remember that many children bully others because of problems in their own lives.
The poll, published to mark Safer Internet Day, found that 15% of the 2,000 eight to 17-year-olds questioned said they have bullied someone online.
nearly three fifths (59%) said they did so to fit in with a particular social group
around 43% said they had done so to prevent themselves from being bullied
over a quarter (28%) admitted they had become a bully due to peer pressure
12% said they had done it because they were unhappy.
nearly half (48%) admitted they had kept silent after seeing or reading something online that made them feel uncomfortable, rather than telling someone
around one in five (20%) said they had kept quiet because they were scared of what a bully might do to them
nearly half (46%) said they were not worried enough to let someone know what they had seen
17% said they were worried they would get into trouble if they told