Marco Stretcher: From cyberbullying victim to role model for millions!

Marco Stretcher: From cyberbullying victim to role model for millions!

Marco Stecker, a 23-year-old from Wangen, is an example of the dark side of the digital age. During his school days, he was the target of cyberbullying. Among his first videos on social media such as TikTok, where he now has around 4.7 million followers, he found anonymous comments that insulted and threatened him. Physical threats were common: eight students from another school even threatened him with a pocket knife. Such incidents are not isolated, as at least two million students in Germany alone are affected by cyberbullying, as the “Cyberlife V” study shows. Most of these cases occur in school settings, which underlines the urgency of the issue.

The campaign “Please what?! – countering fake and hate”, which actively campaigns against hate speech online, is also attracting attention. In this context, Stanger shared his personal experiences at the action day at the Kißlegg secondary school and illuminated the deep effects that cyberbullying can have. Despite his success as a creator and the positive response to his comedy videos, which he began producing during the coronavirus pandemic, Schlitzer continues to face a wave of negative comments. These include death threats, which cause him to focus more on the reasons for such hateful comments.

The reality of cyberbullying

Despite his popularity and the millions of viewers he has reached, Stretcher regularly feels the pressure that comes with online fame. Cyberbullying, a collective term for various criminal acts, is not an independent criminal term in Germany. This means that those affected often do not receive clear legal support. Stretcher is now using his reach to raise awareness about this issue and to encourage others to make their experiences heard.

He has also made his sexuality public and came out as gay on the reality show Celebrity Big Brother in 2023. This important personal confession has influenced not only his own life, but also the awareness of LGBT issues in society. He finds support in his family environment and friends, which is very important for many victims of cyberbullying.

The debate about cyberbullying is accompanied by various research results and studies that repeatedly address the low prevalence of intervention strategies in schools. As early as 2018, the German Bundestag emphasized the need to develop prevention strategies and focus on educational institutions in a documentary about bullying in schools. Preventive dealing with bullying, be it on the Internet or in the school environment, remains a central concern for society in order to finally provide affected young people like Marco Rumpf the support they deserve.

In summary, Marco Schlitzer is not only an example of the stress and dangers that come with cyberbullying, but also of the courage to stand up to it and raise his voice for others. His experience makes it clear that cyberbullying is widespread in Germany and needs to be addressed urgently.