What is Cyberbullying

Posted on December 16, 2015

Traditionally, bullying has been seen predominantly as an “in-person” behavior—that is, it occurs as a face-to-face interaction or confrontation between two or more individuals (a “bully” and a “victim”). In old movies, books, and TV shows, schoolyard bullies harass their victims in the hallways and threaten them on the playground.

But bullying is just as prevalent in other forms, such as social or indirect verbal bullying, both of which can occur in written or spoken form, but are typically conducted without the victim’s presence. For example, in Tina Fey’s 2004 movie Mean Girls, the bullies (in this case, a group of popular adolescent girls) use a “Burn Book” to gossip about and denigrate their fellow classmates.

In today’s age of technological advancement, just as with many other aspects of life, bullying has now migrated into the digital sphere. The advent and popularization of dozens of social media sites and apps, as well as the proliferation of mobile devices, has contributed to a recent and sudden spike in what is now collectively referred to as “cyberbullying.”

A Definition of Cyberbullying

So what is cyberbullying? The phenomenon is defined as “when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones.”^[1]

Just as with traditional bullying, cyberbullying can be both addressed directly towards the victim, or behind the victim’s back. With over 80% of teens using a cell phone regularly, it is by and large the most common medium for cyberbullying.^[2]

While cyberbullying can occur on mobile phones and tablets via texting, phone calls, and video calls, it is far more likely to occur on content platforms and sites reached through the internet. Cyberbullying can be found across a wide variety of sites, including social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; photo and image messaging services and apps such as Snapchat and WhatsApp; and anonymous community message boards such as Yik Yak, Whisper, and After School.

Cyberbullying Facts and Statistics

One of the biggest factors affecting the rise of cyberbullying is increased access to the web for preteens, teenagers, and young adults via personal mobile devices. The Pew Research Center reports that 92% of teens report going online at least once every day, while three quarters of surveyed teens (aged 13 to 17) own or have access to a smartphone.^[3]

As adolescents are getting online more (and in a less supervised capacity), instances of cyberbullying are increasing as well. According to 2015 data from the Cyberbullying Research Center, nearly 35% of students reported that they had experienced some form of cyberbullying in their lifetime, while 16% admitted that they had cyberbullied others.^[4]

Cyberbullying vs. Traditional Bullying

As its name suggests, the primary difference between what we consider traditional bullying and cyberbullying is that “cyberbullying is a form of interpersonal harassment that is conducted electronically.”^[5]

But the differences go beyond simply the medium. What makes cyberbullying so drastically different (and perhaps more dangerous) is that it affords an added degree of anonymity to the attacker. Whereas, with other forms of bullying, the victim may know (or have an idea of) who is bullying them, the anonymous nature of the internet and many technologies allows bullies to better hide their identities behind their attacks. This makes both coping with and reporting cyberbullying much more difficult for the victim.

From the other end, this perceived online anonymity also allows attackers to psychologically distance themselves from both their actions and their victims. Without having to witness the impact of their actions and with a feeling of safety and obscurity, attackers are likely to feel less guilty and be more aggressive in their cyberbullying^[6].

Our Cyberbullying Series

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at cyberbullying, providing a wealth of information and research, as well as offering practical strategies for students, teachers, parents, and administrators, to help you combat cyberbullying in and out of school.

 

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[1] “What is Cyberbullying, Exactly?” Retrieved from stopcyberbullying.org/what_is_cyberbullying_exactly.html on December 10, 2015.

[2]Connolly, Ciaran. “Facts About Cyber Bullying.” Retrieved from nobullying.com/facts-about-cyberbullying on December 14, 2015.

[3] Lenhart, Amanda. “Teens, Social Media and Technology Overview 2015.” April 9, 2015. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/09/teens-social-media-technology-2015/ on December 14, 2015.

[4] Hinduja, Sameer and Patchin, Justin W. “2015 Cyberbullying Data.” May 1, 2015. Retrieved from cyberbullying.org/2015-data/ on December 10, 2015.

[5] “Differences between Cyberbullying and Traditional Bullying.” Gale Student Resources in Context. Detroit: Gale, 2013. Student Resources in Context. Web. Retrieved from http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/suic/ReferenceDetailsPage/DocumentToolsPortletWindow?displayGroupName=Reference&p=SUIC&action=2&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CEJ2181500310&source=Bookmark&u=groves&jsid=5e74052923277a97aa40482b4c0d4da3 on 14 Dec. 2015.

[6] “Differences between Cyberbullying and Traditional Bullying.” Gale Student Resources in Context. Detroit: Gale, 2013. Student Resources in Context. Web. Retrieved from http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/suic/ReferenceDetailsPage/DocumentToolsPortletWindow?displayGroupName=Reference&p=SUIC&action=2&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CEJ2181500310&source=Bookmark&u=groves&jsid=5e74052923277a97aa40482b4c0d4da3 on 14 Dec. 2015.