As part of our Anti-Bullying Week campaign with Instagram, we have worked together on a new national study in the UK to learn more about the relationship between banter and bullying.
The Banter or Bullying? study asked 3001 respondents aged 13–18 a series of 11 questions to share their thoughts on the fine line between banter and bullying while exploring the effects of banter on the wider community. Participants in the study from across the UK were given a combination of multiple-choice options and the opportunity to select more than one response when appropriate to the question.
It's been an honor to work alongside Instagram on our joint Banter or Bullying? report. Our mission was to undertake a study that not only offers valuable insights into the relationship that exists between banter and bullying but also to create a report that would inspire meaningful conversation around the topic, encouraging young people to be more mindful of their own interactions online.
Dan Raisbeck, Co-founder, The Cybersmile Foundation
The report demonstrates our ongoing commitment to promoting meaningful and positive interactions online with the intention of encouraging young people to talk about the important issue while being mindful of their own tone when interacting online.
Banter should never be used as an excuse for bullying. We're working hard to empower people to tackle bullying behavior on Instagram, whether that's restricting a bully from seeing when you're online, or giving you the option to post Stories to Close Friends only. This Anti-Bullying Week we'd encourage parents and teens to explore how our anti-bullying tools can help keep their experience on Instagram positive.
Kira Wong O'Connor, EMEA Policy Programmes Manager, Instagram
The study was conducted by Censuswide between October 28th and November 5th across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, covering regions and cities including Belfast, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich, Nottingham, Plymouth, Sheffield, and Southampton.
I share a lot of my life online and I know first-hand how damaging it can be to be on the receiving end of hateful comments. I try to ignore negative comments altogether, but when I do respond, I'm often told they're 'just banter' and that I should let it go. Banter is never an excuse for bullying; they are different things. One should make you laugh, the other does the opposite.
Zoe Sugg, Founder, Zoella
The Banter or Bullying? report has been compiled and published as part of a wider Anti-Bullying Week partnership with Instagram. Other partnership activities to mark the week include special celebrity Instagram takeovers, the promotion of co-branded educational assets, and an exclusive interview with the Instagram team!
Key findings from Digital Wellbeing 2022
Below are some of the key findings from our Banter or Bullying? report:
- 49% say that the term 'banter' is best described as "a friendly way to make fun of people which is not serious or offensive."
- 64% either 'loved' or 'liked' banter.
- 51% that were asked if they think calling something 'banter' is sometimes used as an excuse for bullying answered yes. Only 17% said they don't know, and 33% said no.
- 65% say there was a clear difference between banter and bullying, with only 21% saying there wasn't and just 14% saying they don't know.
- 35% say that the line is crossed from banter to bullying "when people tell me I've gone too far." And 71% say that "when it makes people feel scared or intimidated."
- 81% feel they understood the difference between banter and bullying.
- 47% have personally been left upset or insulted by banter on at least one occasion.
- 66% have noticed somebody else left upset or insulted by banter on at least one occasion.
- 45% have been offended or upset after witnessing banter as a bystander on at least one occasion.
- When asked how often they see others left upset or insulted by banter, 38% have seen it at least once a week. 7% have seen others left upset or insulted at least once a day.
- 85% have never excused a bullying interaction made by themselves as banter.
The findings of our report demonstrate how young people view banter and their personal understanding of when it occurs and what its impact is.