Are You A Cyberbully?

The Internet and information technology have indeed been marked accomplishments throughout man’s history. With the Internet we are now at major advantages than in the past and are much more efficient with services such as research, communication and education, all at the tip of our fingers. This development, although of major significance, also poses some drawbacks, particularly the issue of cyberbullying, which will be the focus of this post.

First of all, what is cyberbullying? I think that most of us understand the term, but just to be clear, it is the use of electronic communication to bully. Now more importantly, it is vital for us to be aware of the various forms cyberbullying may take, as some of us engage in this type of unacceptable behavior and do not even know. According to Cowie (2013):

Cyberbullying takes a number of forms, to include:

·         flaming: electronic transmission of angry or rude messages;

·         harassment: repeatedly sending insulting or threatening messages;

·         cyberstalking: threats of harm or intimidation;

·         denigration: put-downs, spreading cruel rumours;

·         masquerading: pretending to be someone else and sharing information to damage a person’s reputation;

·         outing: revealing personal information about a person which was shared in confidence;

·         exclusion: maliciously leaving a person out of a group online, such as a chat line or a game, ganging up on one individual.

Some forms of cyberbullying are rather obvious while others are much more subtle. We must be careful of what we say and do online, as we do not know how we will affect someone. Remember, our actions and words can inspire, or destroy.

References

Cowie, H. (2013). Cyberbullying and its impact on young people’s emotional health and well-being. The Psychiatrist, 37, 67-170. doi 10.1192/pb.bp.112.040840 or http://pb.rcpsych.org/content/pbrcpsych/37/5/167.full.pdf