SINGAPORE, Sept 2 — Over one-third of Singaporean youths have experienced cyberbullying, a study by security vendor McAfee shows. 

The study, which polled 512 youngsters aged 13 to 18 from June 25 to July 11, reveals 34.6 per cent had experienced cyberbullying and 61 per cent witnessed such act, Xinhua news agency reports quoting Channel NewsAsia 

About 29.4 per cent of respondents admitted they had bullied others online, and 27.7 per cent said they had been bullied. 

McAfee said of those who said they were cyberbullied, the majority stated that it was due to appearance and academic achievements.  “Compared to other countries, religion, race or sexuality play a less significant role in Singapore,” it said.

Despite the possible unpleasant experiences online, nearly half of teens said they felt more accepted on social media, while 45 per cent felt depressed when they did not receive a lot of “likes”.

The study also showed that online bullying has positive connection with real-life confrontations. 

Forty-four per cent said they had been involved in an argument because of the content they posted on social media, while 13 per cent said the original online dissension had led to a physical fight. — Bernama