Experts explain why digital world creates 'perfect storm' for abuse

August 13, 2026·3 min read·Updated 23 hours ago

Becca Stock, a young woman posing next to an ice cream/smoothie machine and holding a drink with a straw. — Image caption, Becca Stock creates food review videos but has received harsh criticism and abuse onlineBBC News

'Online trolls who target me are bored and jealous'

Published
6 hours ago

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.

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".

"Most people are not inherently aggressive, but certain online conditions make aggressive behaviour easier, less accountable, and more rewarding," she said.

"Studies generally find that online aggression is often less about people becoming completely different individuals in an online context and more about existing emotions, biases, and social pressures being expressed under conditions where the usual limits on behaviour, such as personal accountability, are lacking."

A professor with a very curly blonde bob smiles. She is wearing a white doctors coat with a blue top underneath and there is a wooden sculpture behind her. — Image caption,
Dr Amy Grubb says people share their existing biases and opinions online as it is easier to be "aggressive" without accountability

Stock, who posts under the name Beccaeatseverything, began making videos in 2021 to help people with meals during the cost of living crisis.

She said that the online abuse peaked when she reviewed a supermarket's basics range.

Her aim was to show people what items were good value as she had been living "paycheck to paycheck", but it sparked strong reactions.

"Because I was reviewing a basics range, people got really funny about it," she said.

"They said I'm self-entitled, I'm a posh girl who is being a snob."

Stock said she also got "some of the worst comments", including some suggesting she should take her own life.

A close up of Becca Stock, a young woman with brown hair with blonde highlights. — Image caption,
Stock believes one of the main reasons people leave hate comments is due to boredom

Stock said she often blocks people making personal or discriminatory comments, but added a lot of trolls appear "jealous in one way or another".

"I think the main reason why people leave hate comments is boredom," she said.

"People's real thoughts and feelings come out on the internet. They're saying what they think internally."

Despite the horrible comments Stock receives, she said they are in the minority.

A lot of her audience are curious about her life, and sometimes viewers "feel like they know you", she said.

Growing mental health impacts

Jess John, safeguarding lead at local charity Young Gloucestershire, said the young people they support often report the impact of online harms on their wellbeing.

"Young people report that it is not necessarily one abusive comment that causes emotional and psychological impact but rather frequent and sustained hostile criticism," she said.

As well as low self-esteem, confidence and healthy relationships, John said online safety is one of the themes their youth workers focus on, including how to block and report people.

Paul Noblet, head of external affairs and research at mental health charity YoungMinds, said it had consistently called for action to tackle "the harms young people can experience in the online world, including exposure to harmful content, online abuse and features designed to keep them engaged".

"We're increasingly hearing about the impact these can have on young people's mental health," he said.