It's not easy being a teen. Online hate makes it even harder.

You could say that Millie Bobby Brown's recent announcement that she had deleted all social media from her phone was due to the dangers of fame. And it would make sense—people are infamous for being cold-hearted and venomous in their criticism of those who become famous.

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However, the "Stranger Things" actor's choice truly illuminates a more general issue, particularly for young people.

Brown revealed in an interview with Allure that her Twitter and TikTok have been erased, and that her Facebook and Instagram are now managed by someone else. Her phone no longer resembles the phones used by the majority of teenagers. This online cleanup resulted from receiving a barrage of physical approaches from older guys and online hate.

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Yes, her meteoric rise to fame at the age of 10 has increased the amount of attention she receives both offline and online, but these incidents are rather typical for teenagers; according to the Pew Research Center, 59% of them have encountered cyberbullying. More than half of all "internet-initiated assault victims," according to the National Library of Medicine, are between the ages of 13 and 15.

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Brown disclosed more details regarding the toll that cyberbullying had on her mental health, and this brilliantly illuminates the very particular difficulties that younger generations encounter in this digital age.

When you don't yet know who you are, it's incredibly difficult to be despised, she told Allure. Therefore, "What do people despise about me? Because I don't know who I am," comes to mind. It almost seems like saying, "Okay, I'll try being this today." They follow it by saying, "Oh no, I loathe that." ‘Okay. Ignore that. Today, I'm going to strive to be this. I swear to God! When you do that, I despise it.

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Reading that is taxing, never mind experiencing it. Brown acknowledged "shutting down" to handle the pressure, which is understandable. It's never pleasant to be mocked and judged, much less when going through the trying process of discovering out who you are.

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A portion of the inappropriate online activity was also sparked by a disturbing interaction Brown had with TikTok celebrity Hunter Ecimovic, who not only publicly mocked the young actress on social media in 2021 but also implied that he had "groomed" her. According to the actress, Brown's relationship was already "unhealthy," and internet harassment just made things worse.

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She also surrounds herself with a strong support network in real life. She recounted being able to rely on her friend and model Karlie Kloss during a panel discussing the third season of "Stranger Things" 'She gave me some fantastic advise,' Brown told the Associated Press, 'stand above the hate. Maintaining beauty within oneself will eventually manifest as beauty from the inside out.

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Really, regardless of age or status, adopting good online hygiene is a necessary skill today.

However, it's crucial for those who are still developing. Even while deleting social media apps from phones might not be the best course of action for all kids, it is still important to have the discussion about what can be done to safeguard mental health.