The rising tide of online abuse is challenging as the internet has become an essential place for young people to learn about LGBTQ identities and connect with community members. Data from the social media platform Reddit analyzed by Jeremy Blackburn, an assistant professor of computer science at Binghamton University who studies online extremism, found about a 100 percent increase since the beginning of the year in discussion of “grooming” in conjunction with various LGBTQ slurs starting in early March, NBC news reports.