Teenagers expressed concern about cyberbullying and its effect on the youth. They believe there is a need to educate people on the usage of technology and social media platforms. 

Cyberbullying has become a major issue for young Samoans. This is a daily obstacle they have to endure. It includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else. 

According to Telesia Saufoi, she has witnessed a lot of teenagers using social media in the wrong way. She believes technology and social media are useful tools until an individual uses them for the wrong purposes.

"I am a university student, and I have seen a lot of this in our university. A lot of the students turn to social media as a way to take revenge on other students when they feel like they have done something to them," she said.

"Yes, social media as well as technology are very useful tools, and I mean it. We use it to communicate with our long-distance families and friends so that we can stay connected despite the distances. However, other people feel entitled to attack other people using these platforms."

Seventeen-year-old Anthony Tula'i said he had a different take on the cyberbullying issue. To his understanding, these things happen due to the environment a person grew up in. 

"To me, if someone loves to bully someone online, it shows their insecurity about that particular person. So for me personally, it really is because of the way someone was brought up," he said. 

"If you were brought up in a home where you are always being compared to someone else, then throughout your whole life, you will continue that habit of comparing yourself to your friend, cousin, sibling, or even a stranger. Then you end up, creating a fake account just so you could say all the things you want to say to that person without even considering its consequences."

Other youth who were approached by this newspaper shared the same sentiments, but they do hope that there is a way to stop such behaviour. 

"I would say there is a need to educate our people on the usage of social media but I don't think it is of any use to our people. But I'm sure there is still hope."

According to the New Zealand government website Netsafe, there is a growing number of reports from and about young people, who experience a disproportionate amount of harm online compared to other age groups.

Cyberbullying (or online bullying) is when a person uses digital technology, like a mobile phone or a computer, in a way that intends to harm another person or group. This includes sending nasty messages or images over text or via direct message on social media, or by posting or publishing untrue or harmful content or images.  

Online bullying can take place in many forms including name calling, repeated unwanted messages, spreading rumours or lies, fake accounts used to harass people, excluding people from social activities, sharing of embarrassing pictures or videos, and creating fake profiles.

Figures show that seven in 10 teens in NZ have experienced at least one type of unwanted digital communication in the past year. 19 per cent of NZ teens experienced unwanted digital communication that harmed their daily.

No studies have been done in Samoa to show the impact of cyberbullying.