What is Cyberbullying - Meaning and How to Prevent It

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Nowadays, global cyberbullying is becoming very famous among popular platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and X. With technology, a cyberbully can bother and scare you anytime and anywhere, making you feel like there's no safe place. However, there are ways to keep yourself or your child safe from online bullies. The following article will discuss the same.

Cyberbullying Definition

Cyberbullying happens when someone uses technology to be mean, threatening, or embarrassing to another person. As a result, it can include sending mean texts or messages and posting hurtful things on social media. In other words, sharing personal info to hurt someone or not taking down harmful posts when asked.

It's also bullying if someone makes mean comments about a person's gender, race, religion, or appearance. However, it is illegal everywhere, and the police can get involved.

Cyberbullying is challenging because it's often anonymous and hard to stop. Victims may not know who's behind it or how many people have seen the hurtful posts. It can be upsetting and happen anytime someone checks their phone or computer.

History of Cyberbullying

In 2019, experts at the Cyberbullying Research Center asked middle and high school students in the U.S. (ages 12-17) about cyberbullying. They found that 36.5% of students had cyberbullied before (34.1% of boys and 38.7% of girls). Also, 17.4% had experienced cyberbullying in the last 30 days. During this time, bullies did different things to hurt others, like:
 

• Hurtful comments online (24.9%).
• Spreading rumors (22.2%).
• Threatening texts (12.2%).
• Sexual comments (12.0%).
• Threats online (11.7%).
• Posting hurtful pictures (10.8%).
• Pretends to be someone else (10.1%).
• Racist comments (9.5%).
• Hurtful videos (7.1%).
• Comments about religion (6.7%).
• Creating mean webpages (6.4%).
• Over 30% of students experienced these multiple times.

Some students also admitted to cyberbullying:
 

• 15% in their lifetime.
• 6.3% in the last 30 days.
• Boys did more cyberbullying than girls in every category.

The following section will discuss some cyberbullying examples. In other words, you can say that we will define different types.

Types of Cyberbullying

There are different ways people can experience cyberbullying online:
 

1. Harassment
2. Doxing
3. Cyberstalking
4. Revenge Porn
5. Swatting
6. Corporate attacks
7. Account Hacking

Here, we’ve mentioned the list of types. Now, we will elaborate on each.
 

1. Harassment online means someone gets many mean messages or is bothered by one person or a group. However, it can happen on social media, through texts or calls on their phone, and in emails. The messages are usually mean or scary.
2. Doxing is when someone shares your private info, like your home address or phone number, on social media or public places without asking you. As a result, it can make you feel very worried and can affect your mental health.
3. Cyberstalking is like harassment, but it's when someone keeps trying to contact you, often because they have strong feelings about you, good or bad. Cyberstalkers might even take their stalking into the real world.
4. Revenge porn is when someone shares private or intimate photos or videos of another person without their permission. Moreover, it is usually done by an ex-partner to embarrass or harm the person's reputation.
5. Swatting is when someone makes a fake call to emergency services, saying something dangerous is happening at someone's home or work. Its main aim is to scare them when police or emergency teams show up. It happens a lot in online gaming.
6. Corporate attacks happen in the business world when lots of data is sent to a website to make it crash and stop working. It can harm a company's reputation, make people lose trust, and sometimes even make the business fail.
7. Account hacking is when cyberbullies get into someone's social media accounts and post mean or harmful things. As a result, it can hurt brands and famous people.

Reasons for Doing Cyberbullying

People may cyberbully for various reasons:
 

• Personal Experience: Some do it because they've been cyberbullied before and think it's okay to treat others badly.
• Peer Pressure: Others join in to fit in with a group or make new friends.
• Home Issues: Sometimes, bullies have problematic home lives and take out their anger on others because they have no one to talk to.
• Power Trip: Bullies might feel powerful by controlling and hurting others online.
• Jealousy: Especially common among teens. Some bully because they're jealous or insecure about themselves compared to others.
• Gaming Influence: In online gaming, some players use technology to verbally or textually abuse others instead of using it for teamwork and friendship.

Cyberbullying Threats And Tactics

Cyberbullies can use many different platforms to hurt others, like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, emails, texts, and online chats in games like Roblox. They might try to:
 

• Infect the victim's computer with a virus.
• Flood the victim's email with messages.
• Threaten physical harm or suggest suicide.
• Make a website to make fun of or spread lies about the victim.
• Create fake accounts to post damaging info.
• Break into the victim's account to shame them.
• Post embarrassing photos or videos.
• Threaten to reveal personal info.
• Attack based on race, religion, etc.

These actions are only cyberbullying if they're repeated and meant to harm. One-off mean comments aren't cyberbullying if they're not repeated or weren't meant to hurt.

Our Learners Also Reads: How to become a cyber security expert?

Impact of Cyberbullying

Bullying, whether online or in person, can make you feel very upset, scared, angry, or embarrassed. It can make you doubt yourself and cause mental health issues like feeling sad all the time, worrying too much, or having bad memories. You might think you're alone and can't stop the bullying or that it's your fault. As a result, it's happening.
 

• Cyberbullying can happen anywhere, anytime, even in places like your home, where you usually feel safe. It can happen unexpectedly, even on weekends when you're with your family. Moreover, it feels like there's no way to avoid the teasing and embarrassment.
• It is often done without revealing who's doing it, so you might not know who's targeting you. Additionally, it can make you feel more scared and make bullies feel safer because they think they won't get caught. Since they can't see your response, they may be meaner online than they would be in person.
• Cyberbullying can be seen by lots of people, possibly thousands. Messages and posts can be shared widely, making the bullying more embarrassing. 
• It can stay online forever. Hurtful lies or embarrassing pictures can stick around for a long time, affecting your life, reputation, and how you feel.

How to Prevent It?

To prevent cyberbullying, follow the following points:
 

• Refuse to share mean messages.
• Tell friends to stop bullying online.
• Block bullies and delete hurtful messages.
• Keep personal info private online.
• Never share passwords except with you.
• Talk to you about their online experiences.
• Think before posting anything online.
• Avoid sending messages when upset.
• Be polite online, just like in person.

Conclusion

Cyberbullying is a serious issue that can have detrimental effects on individuals' mental health and well-being. By understanding its meaning and adopting preventive measures such as promoting digital literacy, fostering open communication, and implementing strict policies, we can create safer online environments. If we teach everyone to use technology wisely, be kind, and act responsibly online, we can make the internet a safer and nicer place for everyone.