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The internet is a defining factor of modern didactics. In fact, education has become more attainable and widespread than ever earlier because of the internet. From using digital textbooks to earning a degree online, more classroom functions and educatee experiences are moving into net — including, unfortunately, bullying.

A person wearing a white shirt typing on a laptop.

Despite all the good that the internet has brought to students, parents, and teachers alike, there are people who use it with malicious intent. And just equally bullying has existed since the dawn of time, virtual bullying has existed since the beginning of the internet. This guide on what cyberbullying is from Maryville University Online will aid you learn everything you lot need to know about cyberbullying, from relevant facts and statistics to helpful resources, then you tin keep your teen safe online.

Discover the following sections of this guide:

Cyberbullying Definition
What Is the Divergence Betwixt Cyberbullying and Bullying?
Examples of Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying Laws
How to Identify Cyberbullying
The Potential Effects of Cyberbullying
How to Prevent Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying Information Resource

Cyberbullying Definition

So exactly what is cyberbullying? According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, "cyberbullying" was kickoff used in 1998 and is defined as "the electronic posting of mean-spirited messages most a person (such as a pupil) often washed anonymously." But as time has gone on and the internet has evolved, so has the definition of cyberbullying.

StopBullying.gov defines cyberbullying every bit "bullying that takes place over digital devices like cellphones, computers, and tablets," whereas the Cyberbullying Research Centre describes it every bit the "willful and repeated damage inflicted through the employ of computers, cellphones, and other electronic devices." Substantially, it is the utilise of electronic communication to mirror the way a person would be bullied in real life, typically past sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature.

Cyberbullying Statistics

Cyberbullying is more than common than you may think. And for many teenagers, young adults, and social media users, it poses a very existent threat.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 20.two% percent of all students have reported feel with some kind of bullying.
Some other National Centre for Didactics Statistics study published in 2020 reports that most 15% of students between the ages of 12 and 18 had been a victim of cyberbullying inside a 12-month period.
Youth who are part of the LGBTQ community are significantly more than probable to experience cyberbullying. This study by the Cyberbullying Research Center found that 56% of students who identified as LGBTQ had experienced cyberbullying compared to just virtually a 3rd of non-LGBTQ students.
The Cyberbullying Inquiry Center also found that almost 16% of students had cyberbullied others at some signal in their lifetime.
Admissionsly notes that about 5.ane% of students accept bullied others in some way or class as of 2020.
Teachers listed cyberbullying as the top online issue for students in a survey by Google, alee of privacy, inappropriate content, and other concerns.
The consequences of cyberbullying can be substantial for both the bullied and the bullies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Those who are bullied are at an increased risk for anxiety and low, as well every bit poor bookish operation and fifty-fifty not finishing school; bullies are more likely to have problems with substance abuse and violence afterwards in life.

What Is the Departure Between Cyberbullying and Bullying?

There are a few aspects of cyberbullying that differentiate it from traditional bullying, which make it a unique business organisation for parents and teachers. The following qualities tin help answer the question "What is the difference between cyberbullying and bullying?":

Anonymity: While victims usually know who their bully is, online bullies may exist able to hide their identities. The anonymity of the cyberspace tin lead to crueler or harsher abuses from the bully, all while the victim has no means of discovering who his or her harasser is.
Relentless: Bullying typically ends in one case the victim is removed from the negative social state of affairs. However, smartphones, laptops, and other devices accept fabricated information technology possible for people to communicate with each other at all hours and from most any location. Cyberbullies may exist able to torment their victim 24 hours per solar day, 7 days per week, making it difficult for the victim to escape it past going home or even irresolute schools.
Public: With traditional bullying, often only people who collaborate with those involved will know of the abuse. However, when content is posted or shared online, it is possible that anyone may come across it. This opens up the victim to more than potential ridicule or hurting from strangers. This is compounded by the anonymity afforded past virtual spaces; while bullying in person may be done covertly or out of view to avoid penalty, cyberbullies demand not fear being witnessed in the act if their identities are non known.
Permanent: Considering online content is impossible to delete entirely, cyberbullying may damage the victim's, or perhaps the bully'southward, reputation permanently. Fifty-fifty if the content is removed or deleted from the original site, someone may find it posted from screengrabs elsewhere afterwards. This may negatively touch futurity employment, college admissions, or relationships for victims and bullies alike.
Easy to Overlook: Cyberbullying may be harder for teachers, administrators, and parents to discover because they may non accept admission to students' online activities. They may not be able to overhear or see the corruption taking place. Unless someone comes forward, parents and teachers may never know that bullying is taking place.

The deviation betwixt cyberbullying and bullying is articulate, but cyberbullying is still bullying, and the consequences and dangers remain the same, if not increased in their severity and duration. Even though it occurs online instead of in person, cyberbullying needs to be taken as seriously equally traditional bullying.

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Examples of Cyberbullying

As engineering science has developed over the past 20 years, cyberbullying has become an increasingly larger issue. The immense popularity of smartphones, instant messaging apps, and the rise of social media have opened up an always-growing number of ways for cyberbullies to hurt their targets.

Various forms of cyberbullying often overlap, and the smashing may choose to employ or combine multiple tactics to hurt their target. For example, they may share individual information about someone subsequently gaining admission to their business relationship.

In improver, all these different kinds of cyberbullying may accept place on different devices, social media websites, forums, text messages, or mobile apps. Someone may non even realize they are bullying someone, or even that they are being bullied.

Harassment

Much like offline harassment, online harassment involves sending abusive or offensive letters to an individual or group. Harassment takes slap-up endeavour on the function of the great to hurt the victim. Farther, it is intentional, repeated, and abiding. The victim volition ofttimes have no reprieve from the bully. Particularly over a menstruum of time, these messages can have a negative impact on the victim's cocky-esteem or conviction.

Cyberstalking

Cyberstalking is a form of harassment. These messages are often no longer just offensive or rude, but more than threatening in nature. Letters may escalate to threaten the victim's physical condom. Cyberstalking can quickly lead to in-person harassment or stalking.

Exclusion

Exclusion is the act of deliberately ostracizing the victim. This may involve leaving them out from social media groups, chat rooms, messages, events, or activities. It may mean purposefully having conversations on social media platforms or apps that the victim does non have access to, or that they come across just are unable to join. The group may then keep to say brutal or rude things about the excluded person behind their back.

Outing

Outing is when the bully publicly shares private letters, pictures, or other information about the victim on the internet. This is done without the victim's noesis or consent and is meant to embarrass, shame, or humiliate them. The information may be trivial or more private and serious, but either manner, information technology is a form of outing.

Masquerading

Masquerading occurs when the bully, or possibly fifty-fifty bullies, assumes another identity to anonymously harass the victim. They may either impersonate someone else, apply a real person's account or telephone number, or create an entirely fake identity. Often, the groovy will know the victim well if they feel the demand to hide their identity. The smashing may harass or cyberstalk the victim. This is typically done in an attempt to amuse themselves or humiliate the victim.

Fraping

Fraping is the act of logging in to someone's social media profile and posting inappropriate content nether their name. While many people consider this to be a funny joke, fraping can hurt someone's reputation, get them in trouble with family, or otherwise embarrass or damage them.

Cyberbullying Laws

Bullying has become such a pervasive effect in contempo years that there are initiatives and laws at multiple levels of government to prevent it.

Federal Laws

As of May 2021, there are no federal laws that specifically address bullying. Cyberstalking is a notable exception to this rule. Though there are no federal laws regarding cyberstalking specifically, it is a criminal action nether other anti-stalking and harassment laws.

Bullying may overlap with discrimination, harassment, or hate crimes if it is based on race, national origin, colour, sex, age, inability, or organized religion. If that overlap occurs, federally funded schools at all levels must address and resolve the harassment.

The U.S. Department of Justice'due south Customs Relations Service offers resources to help communities resolve conflicts, prevent violence, and respond to hate crimes and discrimination. It is a costless, confidential service that offers everything from counseling to technical assistance. If harassment persists, victims should consider filing a formal complaint with both the U.Due south. Department of Education and the U.Due south. Section of Justice.

Country Laws

All 50 states have anti-bullying laws in place. Near states as well have laws meant to prevent cyberbullying. Some states have additional policies to help guide schools and their district's response to bullying.

Familiarize yourself with the laws and policies in your state. You lot tin observe more information at the Cyberbullying Research Center or StopBullying.gov.

There may as well be local laws at the regional, county, or city level. If nothing else, most school districts or school codes of conduct contain anti-bullying language or rules. Be sure to inquiry the diverse policies and laws at the local level in your area.

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How to Identify Cyberbullying

As discussed in a higher place, one of the most concerning aspects of what cyberbullying is includes how hard it can be to recognize. All the same, teachers should always exist on the sentinel for signs that a student is either being a bully or being bullied.

Signs and Symptoms of Cyberbullying

Some of the warning signs of cyberbullying may overlap with those of traditional bullying. However, here are a few things you lot should wait for in children's beliefs:

Anxiety or Anger: Pay attention to your teenager'due south mood both during and after they apply a mobile phone or computer. Practise they consistently seem anxious, nervous, or otherwise upset when spending fourth dimension online? Practice they go angry or accept outbursts when they are online?
Secretive: Has your teen become secretive or defensive about their online activities? If they unexpectedly shut off devices when others approach, refuse to discuss what they practise online, or become upset or agitated when you attempt to discuss this with them, they may exist attempting to hide the fact that they are being bullied.
Avoiding Technology: Accept note of the frequency of the corporeality of time your teen spends online, especially if they have e'er enjoyed it. If they accept suddenly stopped using their devices equally often (or possibly altogether), they may be attempting to avert a bully.
Becoming Withdrawn: Even if your teenager has always been quiet or introverted, find their social beliefs. Exercise they want to spend more and more time away from their friends and peers? Take they suddenly started commenting on their lack of friends or how there is drama at school? Take they been pushing away people they are close to and wanting to spend more time alone?
Increase in Messages: Has your teen started to receive a lot more messages or emails than they usually do? Are they from numbers or people yous don't recognize? Is your teenager evasive when yous ask them who is contacting them?
Low: Has your teen'southward mood changed? Do they oft seem sad or depressed? Has there been a drastic alter in their eating or sleeping patterns? Are they claiming to be sick more than often to avoid going to schoolhouse or social events? Accept they lost interest in other activities or hobbies?

One of these symptoms solitary may not be immediate cause for business, simply if you begin to observe your teen continually exhibiting many of these behaviors, it may be time to address your concerns with them.

Why Children Exercise Not Discuss It

Many teenagers hide the fact that they are being bullied, online or in person, from their parents, teachers, and other adults in their life.

Do non take information technology personally if your teen does not tell y'all almost beingness bullied. Information technology is an intense, disruptive experience that everyone responds to differently, and at that place are many reasons they may choose not to talk nearly it with anyone.

They may feel embarrassed or aback, worry that their online privileges volition be taken away, or simply non know what cyberbullying is. They may fear that the bully will retaliate or the abuse will intensify if they speak upwardly, or they may just want to figure out how to handle this situation on their own.

Signs Your Teen Might Exist a Cyberbully

Also exist on the lookout for warning signs that your teen might be bullying their peers. It may exist unexpected or shocking, but cyberbullying is becoming more mutual. Not only the "bad kids" are bullies, and it doesn't mean you take failed as a parent.

It is incredibly important to look for alarm signs that your teenager may be a bully. Not only are they deliberately trying to injure others, but it may also be their way of seeking attending or help. Some of the signs to await for include the post-obit:

Many Accounts: Does your teen accept a large number of social media accounts on various websites? Are they under other names? Exercise you lot recognize the name listed on the account? They may be attempting to anonymously harass someone or infiltrate others' accounts.
Secretive: Is your teenager secretive about what they exercise online? Do they turn off or hide their screen when others approach them while they are online? Are they evasive or hostile when you inquire them questions about their online activities? Do they get irritated or annoyed if y'all interrupt them while they are using a phone or computer?
Long Hours Online: Pay attention to the amount of time your teen spends online. Is information technology excessive, especially compared to how much they take spent on the internet in the past? Are they obsessive about spending fourth dimension on their devices or checking their letters? Do they adopt to spend time online at times of the day when they are less probable to be supervised, like before y'all go home from work or in the eye of the nighttime?
Lack of Remorse: Does your teenager seem to not care if their words or actions injure others? Do they make snarky or rude comments, especially when using their phone or estimator? Is this callousness new or previously out of character for your teen?
New Friend Group: Has your teen recently made new friends who seem to be mean or aggressive? Do these friends take a history of bullying others themselves? Has your teenager go preoccupied with impressing them or becoming more popular with them? Peer pressure from new friends who seem aggressive can motivate many teens to start cyberbullying others.
Becoming Withdrawn: Has your teen abandoned activities and hobbies in favor of spending more than time online? Exercise they no longer want to spend time with close friends or family unit members, preferring to spend fourth dimension alone with their devices? Do they appear to be depressed?

Once again, one of these warning signs may non be a definite indicator that your teenager is cyberbullying others. Pay careful attention to your teen's behavior, equally some of these signs overlap with those that point they are a victim of bullying.

Why Teenagers Cyberbully Others

The reasons why one teen chooses to bully another are complex and varied. They may want to feel powerful, feel the need to act out for attending, or feel like they must command others. While each person's motives are dissimilar, similar factors may come into play when teenagers choose to cyberbully:

Boredom: Some teens may just be bored or craving attention. It is a way to add excitement or drama to their lives with very trivial effort. Cyberbullying often will become a new class of online entertainment.
Peer Force per unit area: Some bullies may be trying to impress their peers, become more popular, or maintain their social status. Beingness part of a group tin give people a false sense of security that their actions are acceptable or normal.
Revenge: Teens may choose to cyberbully someone because they feel wronged past that person or that their victim deserves it. The keen may feel that their behavior is justified due to the pain the victim previously inflicted upon them.
Anonymity: Cyberbullies can embrace the take chances to be anonymous by doing all of their harassment online under another identity. They may feel like they will not get defenseless and practice not have to face their victim directly.
Ignorance: Some cyberbullies may only not realize that what they are doing is, in fact, bullying. They may call back it is merely a joke and non take the situation seriously.

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The Potential Effects of Cyberbullying

Traditional bullying is known to take adverse effects on victims. Academic functioning tin suffer and anxiety and low tin develop — and these issues can proceed into adulthood. And much like traditional bullying, cyberbullying tin can have severe negative consequences for the victim.

Victims may experience the following effects after being cyberbullied:

Decreased Self-Esteem: Bullying of all kinds is often detrimental to the victim's self-esteem. Victims may believe that all of their peers dislike them and develop issues with trust and confidence.
Emotional Distress: Cyberbullying tin can lead to a shift in mood or emotion in the victim. The constant stress of the attacks can brand victims decumbent to outbursts of frustration, sadness, or anger as they try to cope with the bullying.
Concrete Symptoms: Victims may begin to develop frequent headaches, stomachaches, and trouble sleeping. Though they are not attacked physically by the bully, the ongoing stress of the harassment may nevertheless take a physical toll as the victim grows increasingly stressed and anxious.
Depression: Cyberbullying can crusade victims to develop depression. The constant stress and lowered cocky-esteem tin cause them to experience hopeless, unloved, and sad.
Suicidal Thoughts: A study published in ScienceDaily indicates that cyberbullying victims are twice equally likely to attempt suicide or engage in self-harming behaviors. Bullying does not directly cause victims to commit suicide, simply information technology does put them at a higher take chances of doing then.

As with traditional bullying, these bug may persist even after the victim is no longer suffering from cyberbullying, standing well into adulthood.

How to Forestall Cyberbullying

As cyberbullying becomes more common and widespread amidst teenagers and immature adults, information technology becomes increasingly of import for parents and teachers to prevent it from happening, to intervene when it does, and to reply appropriately to victims and bullies alike. Sharing cyberbullying information is a adept way to offset.

Guidelines for Appropriate Net Use

Even before they are old plenty to employ the internet, initiate conversations most net prophylactic. Exist sure to go along this an open dialogue with your teen. You will likely need to have new discussions as their online activities change and new safety concerns arise.

Some of import topics to talk over before your teen goes online include the post-obit:

Privacy: Teach your young adult about the importance of maintaining privacy online. Make sure they know to never share personal data, such every bit physical addresses and phone numbers, with strangers online. Ensure they know to never share any of the passwords to their accounts, even with their close friends.
Strangers: Let them know that the same rules apply to strangers online as they do in person. Brand certain they know they should be careful about, or avoid altogether, talking to strangers online. Tell them that you lot do not always know what someone's intentions are, and some people may endeavor to befriend you lot to hurt you.
Permanence: Remind your teen that once something is put online, it cannot e'er be truly deleted — even if the post is removed. Let them know that they cannot anticipate or control who may eventually see that content, then they must think very carefully before sharing things online.

Set clear guidelines well-nigh how you expect your immature adult to comport on the net. Permit them know that you lot expect them to behave every bit ethically online every bit you would expect in person. Consider having your teen sign a youth pledge and signing a parent pledge yourself.

Remind them that there may be consequences if they violate the pledge, and ask them to assistance concord y'all accountable equally well. Encourage them to ask you questions if anything is unclear when they are online.

Educating Your Teen on Cyberbullying

In improver to full general net condom practices, educate your teen about what cyberbullying is and how to identify it. Make certain they know cyberbullying is not a joke. Merely because their friends are doing it for fun does not mean that information technology is acceptable or that they have to participate.

Emphasize that the Golden Rule — that your teen should treat others the way they want to be treated — still applies when they are online. Teach them what it means to exist a good digital citizen.

Keep the lines of communication open. Let them know they tin can always come up talk to you if they experience or encounter whatsoever cyberbullying online. Reassure your teen that they will non face up repercussions or a loss of estimator privileges if they are being bullied.

How to Deal with a Cyberbully

Provide your teenager with the tools to bargain with anyone who is rude to them online, including a cyberbully. Recall that informing an developed about cyberbullying can exist difficult for teens, so they demand to be prepared plenty to handle the situation on their ain.

Highlight the importance of common sense when dealing with a cyberbully:

Do Non Appoint: Encourage your teenager to avoid engaging with cyberbullies. Information technology tin be hard to ignore purposefully inflammatory comments, but remind your teen that responding to their messages volition only intensify the bully'southward efforts and they are doing this to get a reaction. There is a greater chance that the bullying will cease if your teen ignores them.
Block Them: Tell your teen they should block the phone number and social media accounts of anyone who bullies them. This is peculiarly important if your teenager has trouble ignoring them or the bullies are very persistent. Bullies may make other accounts or recruit friends to continue tormenting your teenager, so encourage them to block those accounts as well.
Change Contact Info: If ignoring and blocking the cyberbullies does non assistance or intensifies their efforts, tell your teen that you tin can always change their contact information. Be sure they know that you lot are happy to help them update their telephone number and email address.
Make a Record: Inquire that your teen document all messages, comments, or other abuses from bullies online. Teach them how to accept a screenshot and ask them not to delete any letters. Having proof of the bullying will exist helpful if you need to contact whatsoever regime.

Though it may be easier said than done, you can as well encourage your teen to get offline more often. Stepping away from their devices and focusing on another activity may help distract your teenager from cyberbullying.

Monitoring Social Media Activity

Find the right balance betwixt supervising your teenager'southward online activities and respecting their privacy. Talk with your teen nigh the degree to which you lot will keep an center on them. They may non be thrilled at the prospect, but explain that this is important to maintaining their condom online.

Be sure to always be open with your teen if you choose to monitor their social media accounts or text messages. Avert looking at personal content or letters without your teen's consent; it can be a huge breach of privacy.

Cyberbullying Data Resources

Whether yous accept your suspicions or your teenager comes to you on their own, exist sure to respond with dear and support if you learn your teenager is experiencing cyberbullying. Always be willing to listen to what they have to say and reassure them that you are in that location to help them resolve this issue.

Maryville University has additional reading and resources available, including social media safety precautions y'all tin can have and a guide to keeping your kids secure online.

Dorsum To Pinnacle

For more cyberbullying information, consult the following resources:

StopBullying.gov

Cyberbullying Enquiry Heart

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Olweus Bullying Prevention Program

Delete Cyberbullying

Embrace Civility Initiative

Cyberbully Help

The Bully Project

U.S. Department of Civil Rights

U.S. Department of Justice

Recommended Reading

A Guide to Children's Mental Wellness

Student Guide to Social Media

The Evolution of Social Media: How Did It Begin, and Where Could Information technology Go Next?

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Source: https://online.maryville.edu/blog/what-is-cyberbullying-an-overview-for-students-parents-and-teachers/

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