Sameer Hinduja, Ph.D.
Professor. Speaker. Researcher. Author.
INTRODUCTION
Dr. Sameer Hinduja is a Professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Florida Atlantic University, Co-Director of the Cyberbullying Research Center, and Faculty Associate at the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard University. He is recognized internationally for his groundbreaking work on the risks and harms of emerging technologies on populations of youth, and the individual, social, familial, and community-level factors that can serve as protective assets. He has written eight books, and his interdisciplinary research has been cited over 25,000 times in a wide range of fields including pediatrics, information technology, computer science, business, psychology, education, and nursing. As a noted researcher and speaker on youth and social media issues for the last 20 years, Dr. Hinduja trains technologists, educators, mental health professionals, youth specialists, parents, and students around the world on how to promote the positive use of technology, build healthy online communities, and foster well-being. His studies have explored the impact of empathy, resilience, hope, climate and culture, deterrence strategies, social norms, parenting dimensions, peer-led initiatives, the role of a variety of stakeholders including law enforcement and online platforms, and more. Dr. Hinduja is frequently asked to provide expert commentary by news organizations, and his work has been featured in venues that include CNN, NPR, the BBC, and The New York Times. He has worked with numerous corporations (including Google, Snap, Twitch, Meta, TikTok, Intel, Johnson & Johnson, Merrill Lynch, Verizon, and Cartoon Network) and organizations (including the United Nations, the White House, the Federal Trade Commission, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Bank, the World Economic Forum, the National Guard, the National PTA, and the Anti-Defamation League) on how best to shape policy, programs, and other initiatives. He has received Auburn University's Global Anti-Bullying Hero Award, won Florida Atlantic University's Researcher of the Year award, presented on cyberbullying at a Congressional Briefing on Capitol Hill, testified in front of the Attorney General and the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security, and served as a Fulbright Specialist Scholar at Dublin City University. Dr. Hinduja has formally advised the Biden-Harris Administration's Interagency Task Force on Kids Online Health & Safety as well as the Be Best Initiative during the first Trump Administration. Dr. Hinduja is the Co-Founder and Co-Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Bullying Prevention, published by Springer. He also has served as an expert witness for both national and international cases.
WORKED WITH
FEATURED ON
RECENT TALKS
WHAT'S NEW
RECENT MEDIA MENTIONS
RECENT BLOG POSTS
In my last piece, I shared about the inconclusive research findings associated with banning student phones at school and the outcomes of academic achievement and positive mental health and well-being. I argued that we shouldn’t treat these devices as a singular crisis, because social, cultural, and contextual factors all strongly affect how students do scholastically […]
The anxiety surrounding smartphones’ impact on youth mental health has reached a fever pitch, and I am getting an increasing number of inquiries from educators about what they should do as they approach summer, revisit their school policies, and prepare for the next academic year. Many administrators and teachers have read social psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s […]
As Youth Advisory Board members for Meta for almost a decade, Justin and I get the opportunity to use our research findings to shine a spotlight on how their products and services can be improved to better safeguard and support teens. One gap that I’ve always believed could be spanned is the one between social […]
For our newest installment in our annual series, I’d like to introduce you to my sixteen year-old friend Elly as she sketches out the scene of modern digital life among adolescents these days. Consider this a boots-on-the-ground report covering some really relevant topics – how TikTok’s algorithm sometimes swings wildly, why Snapchat’s “private” stories require […]
Research demonstrates that social media offers young people significant benefits while simultaneously presenting notable risks. These services enable vital social connections, foster learning and skill development, provide safe spaces for identity exploration (especially crucial for underrepresented youth), and create opportunities for civic engagement and activism. However, these advantages are accompanied by a variety of potential […]
The introduction and adoption of AI chatbots across multiple domains has ushered in many enjoyable and educational possibilities. These conversational agents – accessible via stand-alone apps or built into existing popular social media platforms – can offer companionship and support without the pressures or complications of real-world interactions. They can also provide youth with a […]
We have a brand new piece just published in New Media and Society! We are excited about this contribution to the literature base based on a nationally-representative sample of 5,005 youth in the United States. Most importantly, we’ve distilled the findings into clear recommendations for platforms, parents and guardians, teen users, content creators, and schools. […]
Instagram just announced a significant update to the way they safeguard and support teen users on their platform, and I believe that this development is timely, well-constructed, and one that should lead to measurable benefits. These changes will initially be made to all accounts of youth under 18 years of age in the US, UK, […]
Generative AI can contribute to a wide range of possible risks and harms that can affect the emotional and psychological well-being of others, their financial state of affairs, and even their physiological health and physical safety. Both users and platforms (as well as government!) have a clear role to play, and I’ve explained their respective […]
A school counselor who works in a private school in California recently emailed me to ask for help as it relates to students and the misuse of specific AI bots. Her concerns, though, did not surround general purpose AI bots like Snapchat’s My AI or Microsoft’s CoPilot, but rather those that are specifically used as […]
RECENT PROFESSIONAL WRITINGS
The Race to Detect AI-Generated Content and Tackle Harms
Thinking Through Generative AI Harms Among Users on Online Platforms
Child Online Safety – A Policy Landscape Review (2024)
Cyberbullying in 2024: Identification, Prevention, and Response
Cyberbullying Legislation and Case Law: Implications for School Policy and Practice
TESTIMONIALS
VITAE
RESEARCH INTERESTS
youth and tech, well-being, mental and behavioral health, social media, gaming, online harms, generative AI harms, metaverse trust and safety, big data, sexting, digital dating abuse, content moderation, hate speech, threats
BOOKS
Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J. W. (2024). Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard: Preventing and Responding to Cyberbullying. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications (Corwin Press). 3rd Edition. ISBN: 1071916564.
Patchin, J. W. & Hinduja, S. (2016). Bullying Today: Bulletpoints and Best Practices. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications (Corwin Press). ISBN: 978-1-5063-3597-1.
Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J. W. (2015). Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard: Preventing and Responding to Cyberbullying. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications (Corwin Press). 2nd Edition. ISBN: 1483349934.
Patchin, J. W. & Hinduja, S. (2014). Words Wound: Delete Cyberbullying and Make Kindness Go Viral. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing. ISBN: 978-1575424514.
Patchin, J. W. & Hinduja, S. (2014). A Leader Guide to Words Wound. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing.
Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J. W. (2012). School Climate 2.0: Preventing Cyberbullying and Sexting One Classroom at a Time. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications (Corwin Press). ISBN: 1412997836.
Patchin, J. W. & Hinduja, S. (2012). Cyberbullying Prevention and Response: Expert Perspectives. New York: Routledge. ISBN: 0415892376.
Hinduja, S. (2006). Music Piracy and Crime Theory. New York: LFB Scholarly, Inc. ISBN: 1593321244.
SELECTED JOURNAL ARTICLES
Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J. W. (2024). Metaverse Risks and Harms Among a National Sample of US Youth. New Media and Society. Impact Factor: 4.5.
Patchin, J. W. & Hinduja, S. (2024). Addressing Youth Sexting Through Rational Legislation and Education. Journal of Adolescent Health, 74 (4), 530–532. Impact Factor: 5.5.
Patchin, J. W. & Hinduja, S. (2024). Adolescent Digital Self-Harm Over Time: Prevalence and Perspectives. Journal of School Violence, 23 (4), 542–554. Impact Factor: 2.4.
Patchin, J. W. & Hinduja, S. (2024). The Nature and Extent of Youth Sextortion: Legal Implications and Directions for Future Research. Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 42 (4), 401–416. Impact Factor: 1.4.
Patchin, J. W. & Hinduja, S. (2023). Cyberbullying Among Asian American Youth Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of School Health. Impact Factor: 2.460.
Patchin, J. W., Hinduja, S., & Meldrum, R. C. (2022). Digital Self-Harm and Suicidality Among Adolescents. Child and Adolescent Mental Health. Impact Factor: 2.175.
Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J. W. (2022). Bias-Based Cyberbullying Among Early Adolescents: Associations with Cognitive and Affective Empathy. Journal of Early Adolescence, 42 (9) 1204–1235. Impact Factor: 2.477.
Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J. W. (2022). Bullying and Cyberbullying Offending: The Influence of Six Parenting Dimensions Among US Youth. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 31, 1454-1473. Impact Factor: 2.278.
Meldrum, R. C., Young, J. Patchin, J. W., & Hinduja, S. (2021). Bullying Victimization, Negative Emotions, and Digital Self-Harm: Testing a Theoretical Model of Indirect Effects. Deviant Behavior, 43 (3), 303-321. Impact Factor: 1.982.
Patchin, J. W. & Hinduja, S. (2021). Cyberbullying Among Tweens in the United States: Prevalence, Impact, and Helping Behaviors. Journal of Early Adolescence, 42 (3), 414-430. Impact Factor: 2.771.
Lee, C., Patchin, J. W., Hinduja, S., Dischinger, A. (2020). Bullying and Delinquency: The Impact of Anger and Frustration. Violence and Victims, 35 (4), 503-523. Journal Impact Factor: 1.393.
Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J. W. (2020). Digital Dating Abuse Among a National Sample of U.S. Youth. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36 (23-24), 11088-11108. Impact Factor: 3.064.
Patchin, J. W. & Hinduja, S. (2020). It’s Time to Teach Safe Sexting. Journal of Adolescent Health, 66 (2), 140-143. Journal Impact Factor: 4.021.Patchin, J. W. & Hinduja, S. (2019). The Nature and Extent of Sexting Among Middle and High School Students. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 48, 2333-2343. Impact Factor: 3.223
Patchin, J. W. & Hinduja, S. (2018). Sextortion Among Adolescents: Results from a National Survey of U.S. Youth. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 32 (1), 30-54. Impact Factor: 4.195.
Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J. W. (2018). Connecting Adolescent Suicide to the Severity of Bullying and Cyberbullying. Journal of School Violence. 1-14. Online First. Journal Impact Factor: 1.901.
Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J. W. (2018). Deterring Teen Bullying: Assessing the Impact of Perceived Punishment From Police, Schools, and Parents. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, 16 (2), 190-207. Impact Factor: 2.372.
Patchin, J. W. & Hinduja, S. (2017). Digital Self-Harm. Journal of Adolescent Health, 61, 761-766. Journal Impact Factor: 3.974
Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J. W. (2017). Cultivating Youth Resilience to Prevent Bullying and Cyberbullying Victimization. Child Abuse & Neglect, 73, 51-62. Journal Impact Factor: 2.293
Patchin, J. W. & Hinduja, S. (2015). Defining Cyberbullying: Implications for Research. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 23, 69-74. Journal Impact Factor: 1.928
Patchin, J. W. & Hinduja, S. (2013). Cyberbullying among Adolescents: Implications for Empirical Research. Journal of Adolescent Health, 53(4), 431-432. Journal Impact Factor: 3.974
Patchin, J. W., Schafer, J. A., & Hinduja, S. (2013). Cyberbullying and Sexting: Law Enforcement Perceptions. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin.
Sabella, R. A., Patchin, J. W., & Hinduja, S. (2013). Cyberbullying myths and realities. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(6), 2703-2711. Journal Impact Factor: 3.435
Hinduja, S. & Kooi, B. (2013). Curtailing Cyber and Information Security Vulnerabilities through Situational Crime Prevention. Security Journal, 26(4):383-402. Journal Impact Factor: 0.978
Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J. W. (2013). Social Influences on Cyberbullying Behaviors Among Middle and High School Students. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 42 (5), 711-722. Journal Impact Factor: 3.284
Hinduja, S. (2012). The Heterogeneous Engineering of Music Piracy. Policy & Internet, 4 (3), 229-248. Journal Impact Factor: 2.29
Patchin, J. W. & Hinduja, S. (2012). School-based Efforts to Prevent Cyberbullying. Prevention Researcher, 19 (3), 7-9.
Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J. W. (2012). Cyberbullying: Neither an Epidemic Nor a Rarity. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 9 (5), 539-543. Journal Impact Factor: 1.302
Hinduja, S. (2012). General Strain, Self-Control, and Music Piracy. International Journal of Cyber Criminology, 6 (1), 95167.
Hinduja, S. & Higgins, G. E. (2011). Trends and patterns among music pirates. Deviant Behavior, 32, 16. Journal Impact Factor: 1.052
Patchin, J. W. & Hinduja, S. (2011). Traditional and nontraditional bullying among youth: A test of general strain theory. Youth and Society, 43 (2) 727-751. Journal Impact Factor: 1.608
Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J. W. (2011). Cyberbullying: A review of the legal issues facing educators. Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth, 55(2), 71-78.
Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J. W. (2011). High-tech cruelty. Educational Leadership, 68(5), 48-52. Journal Impact Factor: .194
Patchin, J. W. & Hinduja, S. (2011). Cyberbullying and Self-Esteem. Journal of School Health, 80 (12), 614-621. Journal Impact Factor: 1.749
Patchin, J. W. & Hinduja, S. (2010). Changes in Adolescent Online Social Networking Behaviors from 2006 to 2009. Computers in Human Behavior, 26, 1818821 Journal Impact Factor: 3.435
Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J. W. (2010). Bullying, cyberbullying, and suicide. Archives of Suicide Research, 14 (3), 206-221. Journal Impact Factor: 1.901
Patchin, J. W. & Hinduja, S. (2010). Trends in online social networking: Adolescent use of MySpace over time. New Media and Society. 12(2) 19716. Journal Impact Factor: 2.524ACADEMIC POSITIONS
-
Florida Atlantic UniversityProfessor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 2013 to presentAssociate Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 2009 to 2013Undergraduate Coordinator, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 2010 to 2012Assistant Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 2004 to 2009
-
Cyberbullying Research CenterCo-Director, 2008 to presentBerkman Klein Center, Harvard UniversityFaculty Associate, 2020 to present
-
Center for Cryptology and Information Security
Faculty Member, 2012 to present
MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Published 8 books, 10 peer-reviewed book chapters, and 60+ academic journal articles
Publications have been cited over 26,000 times as of February 2025
Received the 2024 Best Paper Award from the Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Keynoted the 2024 Maryland Center for School Safety Conference
Keynoted the 2024 Florida School Safety Summit
Presented at NIH's 2024 “Impact of Technology and Digital Media on Child and Adolescent Development and Mental Health” workshop
Keynoted the 2024 REACH Violence Prevention Conference, El Paso, TX
Keynoted the 2024 Bullying Free Annual School Conference, Tallinn, Estonia
Keynoted the 2023 ECPAT Taiwan's International Conference on Child Online Safety, Taipei City, Taiwan
Keynoted the 2023 World Anti-Bullying Forum, Raleigh, NC
Keynoted the 2023 Seminole County Student Leader Summit, Orlando, FL
Keynoted the 2023 FADSS Spring Leadership Conference, Orlando, FL
Keynoted the 2022 PUCO Forum on Preventing Youth Cyber Violence, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Keynoted the 2022 RAISE Digital Safety Conference, Lehi, Utah
Keynoted for the World Bank in 2021 to educate parents on youth technology misuse
Keynoted the 2021 COST 18115 European Conference discussing the intersection of cyberbullying and migrant children
Keynoted the 2021 No More Harm Conference, Melbourne, Australia
Keynoted the 2020 New York Jets Fifth Annual “Jets Tackle Bullying” Educators Conference
Keynoted the 2020 University of Buffalo Bullying Summit
Keynoted the 2020 Nebraska School Safety and Security conference
Keynoted the 2019 eSafety Conference, Sydney, Australia
Keynoted the 2018 Association of Middle-Level Education annual conference
FAU Presidential Award Winner for Outstanding Faculty-Led Community Engagement in Service, 2018
Co-Founder and Co-Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Bullying Prevention (Springer Publications)
2017 Fulbright Specialist Award Winner (one of five worldwide)
Keynoted the 2017 World Anti-Bullying Forum
Keynoted Auburn University's 2016 Anti-Bullying Summit
Keynoted the International Bullying Prevention Association's 2016 annual conference
Spoke on School Safety and Violence at Congressional Briefing on Capitol Hill in February, 2015
Co-authored a white paper on cyberbullying for the White House
Spoke at TEDx in 2015 (Comparing Ourselves to Others)
Spoke at TEDx in 2014 (The Lost Art of Listening)
Michigan State University's Distinguished Young Alumni Award, 2014
Listen Learn Care Award from the Office Depot Foundation, 2014
Children's Wireless Safety Achievement Award from the Wireless Foundation, 2014
Spoke at TEDx in 2013 (Single-Minded Focus)
Auburn University's Global Anti-Bullying Hero Award, 2015Michigan State University's Commencement Speaker, 2013
Michigan State University's School of Criminal Justice Wall of Fame inductee, 2012
FAU's Teacher of the Year Award, 2011
FAU's Excellence and Innovation in Teaching Award, 2015
FAU's Researcher of the Year Award, 2015, 2010
FAU's Freshman Convocation Speaker, 2010
PROFILE
ABOUT ME
Professionally, I spend my time researching, identifying, and sharing best practices to promote well-being, trust, safety, security, and transparency so that everyone online has healthy, productive experiences, and that online harms do not lead to offline victimization. I work with users, platforms, families, schools, communities, and governmental organizations on issues like education, quantitative and qualitative studies, policy development, design and engineering, programmatic initiatives, messaging campaigns, and more. My focus over the last few years has been on new forms of harassment, metaverse trust and safety, generative AI harms, big data analysis, social and emotional learning through emerging tech, positive psychological assets, and formal and informal methods to encourage civility and upstanding behaviors. Generally, I'm tackling questions like:
- "What are the latest technology trends, and in what environments are they occurring?"
- "What does the latest research say online abuse and misuse, and its causes, correlates, and consequences?"
- "What needs to be done to support the mental health and well-being of youth online?
- "Are certain populations of youth disproportionately vulnerable, and how can we meet their needs?
- "What prevention and response strategies are emerging worldwide, and how can they be applied in specific settings?"
- "How can we promote civility, safety, privacy, and security in a variety of connected spaces?"
- "What deterrent methods are most effective - and which are useless - in forestalling harmful behavior online?"
- "How can platforms support and empower their userbase and build healthier online communities?"
- "How should companies use research, education, and in-app features to reduce victimization and promote positive experiences?"
- "How can the public sector and private sector successfully co-lobor towards meaningful tech solutions that serve society?
- "What are the roles of pediatricians, mental health professionals, law enforcement, and other stakeholders?"
- "How can we foster greater civility, digital citizenship, and media literacy on a micro- and macro-level?"
- "How can we increase empathy, resilience, altruism, self-control, and hope online and offline?"
- "How can we enlist and inspire youth to lead the way?"
I am passionate about my work, and truly love what I do.
Personally, I simply like to live my life in a way that keeps me joyful and young at heart, and helps me to continually see the world and the people in it with awe, wonder, reverence, and thankfulness. As I get older, I have to be so intentional to guard against cynicism, busyness, pettiness, pride, apathy, and ingratitude. Life is rough and entropy is real, and if I don't actively fight against that tide, everything becomes a chore. And I don't want that.
Interests
Spending time with God, family, and friends
Investing in others
Hiking
Rock climbing
Snowboarding
Exploring and adventuring
Missions trips
Acoustic guitar
Writing songs and poems
Blogging
Ultimate frisbee
St. Louis Cardinals
Kansas City Chiefs
St. Louis Blues
San Antonio Spurs
Clean water in India
WHAT IS MY FAVORITE...
Food
Book
Painting
Trait
Song
Sculpture
Place
Memory
Movie
CONTACT
Sameer Hinduja
-
Address
Florida Atlantic University
5353 Parkside Drive
Jupiter, FL 33458
USA -
Websites
-
Email
-
Phone
(getting too many spam calls - message me to set up a time to talk)