What is cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying involves using any kind of technology to hurt or intimidate others, their reputation, or their relationships. Chances are, you have either cyberbullied or been cyberbullied already. A lot of teens do it and think it’s all in good fun. But cyberbullying is not a joke.

Here are some examples of cyberbullying:

  • Sending cruel or threatening emails, texts, or instant messages to someone
  • Posting private or embarrassing photos of someone without asking
  • Creating a website to make fun of someone
  • Blogging about people behind their back
  • Making up fake accounts on social networking sites (like MySpace or Facebook) to ridicule others
  • Using someone’s password to hack into their email
  • Rating people in online polls
  • Spreading secrets or rumours about people online
  • Harassing other players in online video games (flaming)

So?

The Internet is a public space, so anything that goes online is global within seconds. And since the Internet is also anonymous, most targets of cyberbullying don’t even know who is trying to hurt them. That’s what makes cyberbullying hard to stop. What most people don’t realize is that some forms of cyberbullying are punishable by law.