What is Cyberbullying?

Sending, uploading, and spreading abusive, misleading, or insulting content about another person on a digital platform is known as cyberbullying. This also includes revealing private or sensitive information that can put one in danger of being killed, humiliated, or embarrassed.

Social networking platforms, chat systems, gaming platforms, and mobile phones can all be used for it. This is a pattern of actions intended to humiliate, irritate, or frighten the target. Examples comprise:

• Social media allows you to spread lies and post embarrassing photos of people.
• Sending threats or hurtful messages via messaging platforms
• Impersonating another person and sending hurtful messages to other people on their behalf.

Frequently, the perpetrators of cyberbullying are unknown to the victims of their abuse. Because trolling and bullying accounts frequently abuse everyone’s crucial right to anonymity, victims occasionally have suspicions about who the bullies are but are unable to prove it.

Other times, complete strangers learn that cyberbullying is occurring and adopt a “mob mentality,” contributing to and amplifying the bullying rather than supporting the victim.

It is hard to identify the person behind cyberbullying. Even if the victim of cyberbullying suspects someone, they are unable to prove it because abusers conduct it anonymously. Despite being aware of cyberbullying normal people fall into mob mentality and help to spread cyberbullying instead of helping the victim.

Much of the information supplied electronically has the potential to be permanently retained and made public if it is not reported right away. Through this channel of communication, offenders can harass their target repeatedly, leaving them feeling helpless and exposed.

Teens and Cyberbullying

Teenagers are particularly affected because narcissism is on the rise and because cell phones and social media sites are escalating the teenagers’ insults, teasing, and mocking of the “in crowd” targeted against the “out crowd.”

In the past, kids who were the target of such abuses may leave the playground and go to their rooms. Since every youngster has a cell phone or a social media account, these insults are continuously occurring. Some suicides have been caused by cyberbullying, and many people who have been harassed by it have been deeply depressed.

Online bullies are more harmful, deceptive, and dangerous than in real life. The reputation of others and their real-life relationships could be ruined by a narcissistic cyberbully who creates a phony profile using someone else’s name.

Users can report spam and abuse according to the terms of service on social media, and fake profiles are removed immediately. The creation of profiles cannot be stopped, though.

Any bully is typically a coward or a weak individual with low self-esteem below their scary persona. Bullies who are cowardly have a place to hide behind the Internet. So, what can you do to help your child, other young kids, and relatives dealing with a cyberbully, or how can you counsel them?

• Let a parent, teacher, or other responsible person know the facts.
• You should not respond to any abusive messages or posts. You aren’t allowing the bully access to your personal information by not responding. You are disarming the bully’s power over you. You must immediately report any harassment to the site administrators. Do not engage the bully directly. Block the account if possible so that she cannot contact you, or send you messages.
• Sites like Facebook will remove profiles if they discover that the cyberbully has been under 13 years old.
• You should save any provoking, teasing messages, tweets, or posts. Although it might be tempting to delete these hurtful messages right away, evidence may be necessary to prove your case. A paper trail can be a useful tool and often the only evidence you have is a paper trail.
• The cyberbully could be hiding behind a fake screen name. It is important to involve a parent, teacher, or another adult. Authorities can track ISP addresses and find out from where hurtful messages are being sent, regardless of the screen name or e-mail address.
• Approach the cyberbully in real life with a trusted teacher, school administrator, or peer group. This behavior is unacceptable and must be stopped. Reach a mutual understanding and make it clear that bullying will not be tolerated.
• If the bullying continues, be prepared to file a police case. Empty threats are more encouraging than those that make a mockery of a cyberbully.

Cyberbullies All Grown Up

After high school, cyberbullying continues. Adults who are addicted to social media are vulnerable to cyberbullying. Adults use social media to meet new people, catch up with old friends, and find old pals.

Apply the following guidelines if you are a victim of cyberbullying at older age:

• It would help if you were careful about who you share your information on social media. Sites offer privacy and protection settings for you to protect your privacy. However, they can’t control how much information that you share with the rest of the world.
• Keep a record on both paper and virtual of any offensive, threatening, or unwanted messages, posts, and comments. You should also keep a record of all requests you made to cyberbully for not harming you.
• Do not send mixed messages to anyone. Don’t laugh if it’s not humorous. It is important to be clear about what is acceptable and what isn’t. Tell the bully clearly that such behavior is unacceptable and that they will be blocked if they continue.
• Do not be afraid to report harassment online via message boards, social media sites, or online forums to site administrators or moderators.
• Block or unfriend your harasser if they are a coworker or someone you work with professionally. Talk to your manager or human resources department about this matter and determine your possible options.

• Contact law enforcement officials if cyberbullying becomes so severe that you are afraid for your safety and the safety of your loved ones.
• On the other hand, if someone you are communicating with online asks you to stop or limits your conversations in any way, please stop. You could have overdone it with your online presence.