Understanding and Combating Digital Harassment
The cruelty of harassment, ridicule, and bullying, is also extended online. Cyberbullying thrives on social media platforms, lurking after networking events, and even infiltrating online dating profiles. Learn more about cyberbullying and what you can do about it.
Cyberbullying is when harassment, ridicule and bullying occur online. It can happen in a variety of online settings such as on social media platforms, during or after social networking events, and even online dating profiles.
It involves the deliberate and repeated use of digital communication to target individuals or groups with the intention of causing emotional distress, humiliation, or social isolation.
The effects of cyberbullying can leave you feeling isolated anxiety and even more permanent and severe problems, such as suicidal ideation and unsure on how to ask for help, but talking about your experiences with a loved one or therapist can be a great way to start the healing process.
Cyberbullying can take various forms, including sending abusive or threatening messages, spreading rumors or false information, sharing private or embarrassing photos or videos without consent (also known as "revenge porn"), impersonating someone else online, excluding someone from online groups or conversations, or any other behavior intended to harm, humiliate, or intimidate the victim.
The anonymous and widespread nature of the internet and social media platforms makes cyberbullying particularly challenging, as it can reach a large audience quickly and persist over time. The effects of cyberbullying can be detrimental, leading to psychological and emotional distress, social withdrawal, academic difficulties, and in severe cases, even self-harm or suicide.
Cyberbullying often provides a level of anonymity to the aggressor, as they can hide behind fake usernames or profiles, making it more difficult to identify and hold them accountable for their actions. It can be more persistent than traditional bullying because the digital content can be stored, shared, and disseminated widely, making it difficult for victims to escape the harassment. The content created or shared online can have a long-lasting and permanent
presence. It can be difficult to completely erase or remove digital content once it has been posted or shared.
It is important to raise awareness about cyberbullying, promote digital etiquette and responsible online behavior, and provide support systems for victims to combat this issue effectively.
Types of cyberbullying
The enigma of the internet and the sprawling canvas of social media conspire to augment the perplexity of cyberbullying. Its venomous tendrils slither unchecked across a wide audience, disseminating rapidly and enduring with a tenacity that defies time. The fallout from this digital warfare can be catastrophic—emotional and psychological agony, a self-imposed exile from society's embrace, academic quandaries, and in its grimmest iterations, the harrowing specter of self-inflicted harm or the ultimate tragedy of suicide.
1. Harassment
Harassment is a broad category under which many types of cyberbullying fall into, but it generally refers to a sustained and constant pattern of hurtful or threatening online messages sent with the intention of doing harm to someone.
2. Outing
It refers to the act of openly revealing sensitive or personal information about someone without their consent for purposes of embarrassing or humiliating them. This can range from the spreading of personal photos or documents of public figures to sharing an individual’s saved personal messages in an online private group.
3. Trickery
In these situations, the bully will befriend their target and lull them into a false sense of security. Once the bully has gained their target’s trust, they abuse that trust and share the victim’s secrets and private information to a third party or multiple third parties.
4. Cyberstalking
It can include monitoring, false accusations, threats, and is often accompanied by offline stalking. It is a criminal offense and can result in a restraining order, probation, and even jail time for the perpetrator.
5. Fraping
Fraping is when a bully uses the victims’ social media accounts to post inappropriate content with their name to ruin their reputation. It can be harmless when friends write funny posts on each other’s profiles, but has potential to be incredibly harmful.
6. Masquerading
This could involve creating a fake email account, fake social media profile, and selecting a new identity and photos to fool the victim. In these cases, the bully tends to be someone the victim knows quite well.
7. Trolling
Trolling is when a bully will seek out to intentionally upset others by posting inflammatory comments online when done with malicious and harmful intent. These bullies tend to be more detached from their victims, and do not have a personal relationship.
8. Flaming
This type of online bullying constitutes of posting about or directly sending insults and profanity to their target. Flaming is similar to trolling, but will usually be a more direct attack on a victim to incite them into online fights.
The Profile of Bullies
Characteristics of a cyberbully
- May be introverts, underdogs or underachievers.
- May have low self-esteem.
- Often feels like a victim themselves.
- May not know how to express anger in an appropriate manner.
- Would be unlikely to say to someone’s face what they say in cyberspace (especially if there’s a parent or teacher to witness it).
- Use the Internet as a way to “get even” or vent their frustrations.
- Often unwilling to take responsibility for their actions.
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