Introduction – what cyberbullying is?
Unfortunately, there are a small number of people who would claim that they haven’t experienced bullying at least once in a lifetime. There are so many forms of bullying – from innocent teasing in elementary school to rejections and discrimination at work. The modern world brought the progress of IT, but it introduces a new way of harassment – cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is different from ordinary harassment because it happens online. It includes posts and messages on social media. Cyberbully makes threads, spreads rumors, or hate speech. Sexual harassment is also part of online bullying.
Types of cyberbullying
There are several kinds of cyberbullying. First of all, there is cyberstalking. The perpetrator uses electronic communication to stalk a victim. Impersonation involves pretending that the perpetrator is the victim and using its accounts on social media to post harmful content. That could tarnish someone’s reputation. Trolling includes posting provocative comments in order to trigger rage and negative reactions. And spam means sending multiple messages that annoy and disturb you. Usually, ex-partners use this last kind of online bullying.
Every kind of harassment is an unpleasant and disturbing act. However, unlike traditional bullying, online bullying doesn’t stop when the victim closes the door of their house. The end of bullying depends only on the perpetrator. And even if the bully stops sending upsetting messages and posting hurtful content, it could be a million screenshots that spread over the Internet.
How to prepare for cyberbullying?
Every school and college should have developed anti-bullying strategies. And these policies should pay attention to online bullying too. Teams of experts, including psychologists and pedagogues, could take a series of actions to prevent every kind of bullying. Professors can encourage reading cyberbullying essay and even writing about that. They should discuss in class about examples of online bullying to point out wrong behavior. Samples of these essays can also encourage victims of online harassment to talk about their experiences with trustworthy people.
Why does cyberbullying happen?
Using technology from an early age can cause children to disconnect from the real world. Thus, children can’t form relationships and develop empathy. It is quite usual that children who don’t grow up surrounded by love and empathy become bullies. Some other assumptions indicate that people become bullies because it is easy. They don’t have to face their victims. They are usually jealous of their targets and they want to feel superior. It happens very often that some people want to embarrass their ex-best friends or lovers by posting intimate details about their relationships. They use online bullying as a tool of revenge.
Is there such a thing as self-cyberbullying?
Unfortunately, there is. Self-cyberbullying or digital self-harm includes sharing and sending upsetting messages about oneself. Society shouldn’t treat that as attention-seeking. It might be a cry for help by someone who thinks of hurting himself and even considers committing suicide. Parents need to be informed and monitor their children’s behavior on the Internet. That way they could help their children and even prevent tragic events.
What are the consequences of cyber harassment?
Victims of cyberbullying usually change their behavior and this could be an indicator that something is happening. They can avoid friends and social events, such as birthday parties and school dances. They become introverts spending most of their time in their rooms as a safe space. Skipping school and grades dropping are common reactions to online bullying. They can also lose interest in activities that they enjoyed earlier. But avoiding using the cell phone, having an unpleasant appearance on their faces, and hiding their phone and computer screen from view are the most frequent consequences of cyber harassment.
What can society do?
An individual can report online harassment to the app or platform administrators. When it comes to cyberbullying among students, we already said that schools and colleges should have anti-bullying policies. Psychological and other mental health experts’ support could be crucial steps toward overcoming online bullying wounds. Every act of cyberbullying should be reported to the school administrators. Evidence, such as screenshots, should be shown to the police.
However, parents play a leading role in solving cyberbullying problems. Firstly, they should be there for their children. Daily tasks shouldn’t prevent parents from spending time with their children. They should notice differences in a child’s behavior and create a safe space to talk about problems. A visit to a psychotherapist would only do well for cyberbullying victims.
Image source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/family-sitting-together-on-a-sofa-7492987/
Conclusion
The world of technology brought significant progress to society, but also new problems. One of them is online harassment known as cyberbullying. There are plenty of reasons why someone becomes a cyberbully. One of them is a lack of empathy. Victims of online bullying can be recognized by changed behavior. Both parents and school play a major role in both cases. They have to pay attention to the children, get to know them, and make a safe space for their blossoming.
Author’s bio:
Mary Spears is a captivating figure in the world of freelance writing. Her works continue to enchant and resonate with readers, leaving an indelible mark on their hearts and minds. With a creative mind, she has established herself as a sought-after wordsmith in various blog post projects.
