news.com.au

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Appearance-related cyber bullying is one of the most common and harmful forms of online abuse of young people. Photo / 123rf

THE FACTS

  • Appearance-related cyber bullying is common and harmful, particularly affecting teenage girls’ self-image and mental health.
  • A study found that viewing body-shaming content activates brain regions linked to emotional pain and social threat.
  • Girls with positive body image showed calmer brain responses, suggesting a protective effect against cyber bullying.

By Taliah Jade Prince and Daniel Hermen

You’re so ugly it hurts.

Maybe if you lost some weight, someone would actually like you.

No filter can fix that face.

These are the sorts of comments teenage girls see online daily, via social media, group chats or anonymous messages.