CyberCompassion

With the boom of social media, the ability to publicly post, and leave comments on others’ posts, cyberbullying has become a ubiquitous evil. Nearly 40% of Americans and 59% of American teenagers have experienced online harassment and/or cyberbullying (Pew Research Center, 2017). While there are multiple possible explanations for the pervasiveness of this phenomenon, the present study aims to test the hypothesis that cyberbullying is facilitated by the limits of writing as a mode of expression. It is plausible that speaking, rather than typing, could reduce the tendency to bully. If people use voice-to-text software and have to hear themselves speak, will it make them less likely to bully? The present political and social climate has demonstrated the fact that online threats can turn into actions resulting in deaths and destruction, thus further demonstrating the dire need for strategies to reduce the presence of and/or severity of such comments