The Internet and especially social media is turning dark, with reports of harassment, stalking and even threats of rape surging, according to a new Pew Research report out Monday morning.
As the Supreme Court hears a case of internet harassment Monday, Pew said that many social media users have either been victims or have witnessed threatening behavior.
In an example highlighted by the pollster, one of those they surveyed said, “I was threatened and told if I stopped communicating with this man he would find me and he would rape me.”
Overall, said Pew, some 40 percent of all online users have experienced some kind of harassment. Typically it involves being called names.
But users said that it can be much worse. Some 24 percent reported seeing somebody physically threatened, 19 percent reported seeing sexual harassment and 18 percent saw incidents of stalking.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
