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Victims of bullying support each other through YouTube

Thelwall, M., & Cash, S. (2021). Bullying discussions in UK female influencers’ YouTube comments. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 49(3), 480–493. https://doi.org/10.1080/03069885.2021.1901263

In this article, Thelwall and Cash explore comments sections of YouTube lifestyle influencers, a place where the opinion and history of victims of bullying who do not seek formal support can be accessed. The authors suggest interacting through comments and getting to know the YouTubers experience can be a form of support. As influencers are popular and empathetic, as peers who stand up against bullying (Lambe et al., 2019). 

By analysing the comments of UK female YouTube lifestyle influencers, over a thousand words related to comments on bullying were identified. Those comments were usually personal stories, support for the influencers who talked about having been bullied, or support for victims of bullying who disclosed about it on the comments. 

7.383 comments related to bullying were found, the results from these comments were that 45% of the comments were from victims. 23% said it happened at school (and this was the only physical location mentioned), 5% mentioned cyberbullying, 60% stated to have been bullied for years in past or present tense, 63% talked about the effects (feeling bad, depressed, hurt, etc.). 

Other comments were for support and had been left in response to those sharing their stories. 5% of them thanking for sharing, 36% associated with discussions of the causes of bullying focusing on the bully (they were jealous, insecure…), 53% used a common strategy of generalization (emphasizing nothing about the victim lead to the bullying situation happening), 34% of compliments, 2% of criticism for bullies, 3% expressing empathy by relating to the story and 33% expressing support through advice (ignore them, be strong, tell the teacher, etc.). 

Some insights from the paper are that: 

- Teachers could use the few videos from influencers talking about bullying in class. Because students can see the supportive comments in addition to the experience of the influencer. 

- As other research already suggests, school and cyberspace are the main locations in which bullying occurs. 

- It gives us information about how people support each other in nonprofessional environments. And different strategies used: thanking for sharing, criticizing the bully, generalization, compliments, relating and giving advice. 

In my opinion, this research shows how on-line spaces can be a positive source of support for victims. And opens the door to using these videos and the influencers that create them in bullying prevention and intervention in schools.  

Lambe, L. J., Cioppa, V. D., Hong, I. K., & Craig, W. M. (2019). Standing up to bullying: A social ecological review of peer defending in offline and online contexts. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 45, 51–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2018.05.007

- Àgata Geronès Roca 
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