Cyberbullying: What is it and how to stop it

What is cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is the act of intentionally and consistently mistreating or harassing someone through the use of electronic devices or other forms of electronic communication (like social media platforms) It is repeated behavior, aimed at scaring, angering or shaming those who are targeted. Examples include:

• spreading lies about or posting embarrassing photos or videos of someone on social media

• sending hurtful, abusive or threatening messages, images or videos via messaging platforms

• impersonating someone and sending mean messages to others on their behalf or through fake accounts.

• Taking nude or otherwise degrading photos of a person without their consent

• Sharing or posting nude pictures with a wide audience to embarrass the person they are cyberbullying

• Sharing personal information about a person on a public website that could cause them to feel unsafe

• Physically bullying someone in school and getting someone else to record it so that it can be watched and passed around later

• Circulating rumors about a person

This article discusses cyberbullying, its adverse effects, and what can be done about it.

How to Know When a Joke Turns Into Cyberbullying

It’s common for friends to joke around with each other, but sometimes it can be difficult to tell if someone is just having fun or trying to hurt you, especially online. If you feel hurt or think others are laughing at you instead of with you, then the joke has gone too far. If it continues even after you’ve asked the person to stop and you are still feeling upset about it, then this could be considered bullying.

When bullying takes place online, it can result in unwanted attention from a wide range of people including strangers. Regardless of where it happens, if you are not happy about it, you should not have to stand for it.

Remember, if you feel bad and it doesn’t stop, then it’s worth getting help. Stopping cyberbullying is not just about calling out bullies, it’s also about recognizing that everyone deserves respect – online and in real life.

How can cyberbullying affect mental health

When you experience cyberbullying you might start to feel ashamed, nervous, anxious and insecure about what people say or think about you. This can lead to withdrawing from friends and family, negative thoughts and self-talk, feeling guilty about things you did or did not do, or feeling that you are being judged negatively. Feeling lonely, overwhelmed, frequent headaches, nausea or stomachaches are also common.

You can lose your motivation to do the things that you usually enjoy doing and feel isolated from the people you love and trust. This can perpetuate negative feelings and thoughts which can adversely affect your mental health and well-being.

Skipping school is another common effect of cyberbullying and can affect the mental health of young people who turn to substances like alcohol and drugs or violent behavior to deal with their psychological and physical pain. Talking to a friend, family member or school counsellor you trust can be a first step to getting help.

The effects of cyberbullying on mental health can vary depending on the medium through which it happens. For example, bullying via text messaging or through pictures or videos on social media platforms has proven to be very harmful for adolescents.

Advice for Preteens and Teenagers

The best thing you can do if you’re being cyberbullied is tell an adult you trust. It may be challenging to start the conversation because you may feel ashamed or embarrassed. However, if it is not addressed, it can get worse.

Other ways you can cope with cyberbullying include:

• Walk away: Walking away online involves ignoring the bullies, stepping back from your computer or phone, and finding something you enjoy doing to distract yourself from the bullying.

• Don’t retaliate: You may want to defend yourself at the time. But engaging with the bullies can make matters worse.

• Keep evidence: Save all copies of the cyberbullying, whether it be posts, texts, or emails, and keep them if the bullying escalates and you need to report them.

• Report: Social media sites take harassment seriously and reporting them to site administrators may block the bully from using the site.

• Block: You can block your bully from contacting you on social media platforms and through text messages.

Advice for Parents

As a parent, watching your child experience cyberbullying can be difficult. To help in the right ways, you can:

Offer support and comfort: Listening to your child explain what's happening can be helpful. If you've experienced bullying as a child, sharing that experience may provide some perspective on how it can be overcome and that the feelings don't last forever.

Make sure they know they are not at fault: Whatever the bully uses to target your child can make them feel like something is wrong with them. Offer praise to your child for speaking up and reassure them that it's not their fault.

Contact the school: Schools have policies to protect children from bullying, but to help, you have to inform school officials.

Keep records: Ask your child for all the records of the bullying and keep a copy for yourself. This evidence will be helpful to have if the bullying escalates and further action needs to be taken.

Try to get them help: In many cases, cyberbullying can lead to mental stress and sometimes mental health disorders. Getting your child, a therapist gives them a safe place to work through their experience.

Is there a punishment for cyberbullying?

Most schools take bullying seriously and will take action against it. If you are being cyberbullied by other students, report it to your school.

People who are victims of any form of violence, including bullying and cyberbullying, have a right to justice and to have the offender held accountable.

Laws against bullying, particularly on cyberbullying, are relatively new and still do not exist everywhere. This is why many countries rely on other relevant laws, such as ones against harassment, to punish cyberbullies.

In countries that have specific laws on cyberbullying, online behavior that deliberately causes serious emotional distress is seen as criminal activity. In some of these countries, victims of cyberbullying can seek protection, prohibit communication from a specified person and restrict the use of electronic devices used by that person for cyberbullying, temporarily or permanently.

However, it is important to remember that punishment is not always the most effective way to change the behavior of bullies. Sometimes, focusing on repairing the harm and mending the relationship can be better.

Remember, cyberbullying can have serious consequences and can be harmful to both the victim and the bully. If you or someone you know is being cyberbullied, it’s important to seek help. You can find more information on how to stop cyberbullying and get help at the following links:

Cybertip.ca - Canada’s tip line for reporting the online sexual exploitation of children and access to Internet Safety Information for Youth designed for parents and educators.

StopBullying.gov - Learn more about cyberbullying and how to stop it.