It's time for online bullies to just stop

THE devastating impacts of online bullying have made news in recent weeks with heartbreaking cases of children suffering depression and ending their lives.

The online space gives bullies a place to play. Picture: Crystal Jones

THE devastating impacts of online bullying have made world news in recent weeks with heartbreaking cases of children suffering depression and ending their lives because of heartless trolls.

While overseas cases have been making the headlines, statistics in a recent report show the plague is alive and well in regional areas.

It was found that 23 per cent of regional Australians witness social media bullying or harassment, compared to 15 per cent of their metropolitan counterparts.

Nine per cent of regional users said they had been bullied online, compared to four per cent of city participants.

The issue is people are bored, angry and looking for targets for their frustrations.

At the end of the day, does it matter if someone doesn't agree with you, or believes in something different to you?

Not in the slightest.

There's a lot more to life than the online world, and while bullying happens in the real world, the virtual space gives trolls even more spaces to hide - often with a fake name.

It's one thing to have an opinion, but to target and often facelessly and namelessly bully people online is a disturbing trend and it needs to stop. Now.

If you have been feeling depressed, call Lifeline on 131114.