// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
'Online trolls who target me are bored and jealous'
Becca Stock creates food review videos but has received harsh criticism and abuse online
A woman who posts food reviews on social media has spoken out against the level of online abuse she receives after some trolls have urged her to take her own life.
Gloucestershire's Becca Stock, who has millions of followers on TikTok, said while "bored" and "jealous" people do target her online, they are in the minority.
She has shared her experience of online bullying following the University of Gloucestershire publishing new research into what drives digital abuse.
Dr Amy Grubb, associate professor of forensic psychology at the University, said posting comments online creates the "perfect storm" for abuse as the "digital environments reduce normal social restraints".
The research comes as mental health charities are reporting that online harms are having a growing impact on young people's wellbeing.
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Dr Grubb said people feel able to make negative or abusive comments on the internet due to the "online disinhibition effect".
This suggests people may behave differently online because the usual social cues and consequences of face-to-face interaction are weakened or absent.
She said even on non-anonymous platforms people can feel "psychologically hidden behind a screen".