Cyberbullying

Definition And Characteristics Of Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is defined as using digital technologies to intentionally embarrass, harass, and/or intimidate others (Smith et al., 2013). In addition, cyberbullying involves repetition and an imbalance of power between the bully/bullies and the victim/victims. This component of the cyberbullying definition is consistent with the definition of traditional face-to-face bullying. The cyberbully/cyberbullies might target the victim/victims multiple times by repeatedly sharing humiliating and embarrassing videos or text messages with one person or multiple people (Bauman et al., 2013). Bystanders can further share the content again with other people, who could also continue the cycle by sharing the content once more. Thus, cyberbullying might involve repetition, but not always, although repetitiveness of cyberbullying behaviors highlights the continuous cycle of this form of bullying. The digital technologies requirement of the cyberbullying definition distinguishes this form of bullying from traditional face-to-face bullying (Curelaru et al., 2009).

Cyberbullying behaviors might include sending mean and/or nasty messages through texts, chat programs, and emails, as well as identity theft, pretending to be someone else or spoofing their social media profiles, making hostile and anonymous phone calls, sharing a victim’s or victims’ secrets with others, gaining someone’s trust and then sharing their secrets with others, spreading mean and untrue rumors using social media, threatening to harm someone offline, and/or uploading embarrassing pictures or videos of someone who does not want the image or video shared (Bauman et al., 2013). There is also alignment between traditional face-to-face bullying behaviors and cyberbullying behaviors, such as harassment, insults, teasing, physical threats, social exclusion, humiliation, and gossip.