WHAT IS CYBER BULLYING?

WHAT IS CYBER BULLYING? 

Each day children or adults learn different valuable skills through interaction with their age mates, social media,internet, media (visual or print) and many more channels. However, there are also negative experiences such as bullying, learnt through these media. The negative experiences can affect and stick with the children or adults for the rest of their lives. In the recent years it has become more dangerous and harder to contain bullying this is due to the evolution of this advancing technology. In traditional bullying which was face to face was better controlled by limiting face to face interactions but not in this enormous technological era.

Cyber bullying is the use of technology, including internet access and cell phones, to harass, hurt, embarrass, humiliate, or intimidate other person. It can also be defined as the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), particularly mobile phones and the internet, deliberately to upset someone else. It can also be defined as  “any behavior performed through electronic or digital media by individuals or groups that repeatedly communicates hostile or aggressive messages intended to inflict harm or discomfort on others."

In general cyber bullying involves name-calling, negative rumor spreading, and teasing, sending or posting  harmful or cruel text and /or images using the internet or other digital communication devices, such as cell phones. Cyber bullying may occur on personal websites or it may be transmitted via e-mail, social networking sites(whatApps, Facebook,Twitter, Snap chat, Instagram etc), chat rooms, message boards, instant messaging, online blogs,  video games, cell phones, unauthorized publication of private information or images, or anonymous apps.  Cyber bullying in children mostly occurs when they are at home, but it can also take place during school.

Cyber bullying is far widespread than we would like to think. According to the Cyber bullying Research Center, five teenagers are harassed regularly online. Almost one-half of all teenagers have experienced some form of online harassment. On the continuum of risk, some youth are more susceptible to instances of cyber bullying than the adults. As with cyberbullies, victims are as likely to be female as male and are more likely to be older teens than younger children.

Types of Cyber bullying 

Most cyber bullying falls into one or more of the following categories:

1. Flaming: Online fights using electronic messages with angry and vulgar language 
2. Harassment and stalking: Repeatedly sending cruel, vicious, and/or threatening messages
3. Denigration: Sending or posting gossip or rumors about a person to damage his or her reputation or friendships 
4. Impersonation: Breaking into someone’s e-mail account and using it to send vicious or embarrassing material to others 
5. Outing and trickery: Engaging someone in instant messaging, tricking him or her into revealing sensitive information, and forwarding that information to others 
6. Exclusion: Intentionally excluding someone from an online group 

Youth most at risk for cyber bullying include:

1. Vulnerable, immature, or socially naive teens who may lack sufficient knowledge and skills to engage in effective decision-making 
2. Younger teens who may have overprotective or naive parents but who likely have healthy peer relations and good values 
3. Youth who have temporarily impaired relations with parents and/or peers and are currently highly emotionally upset  
4. Youth who face major ongoing challenges related to personal mental health and disruptions in relations with parents, school, and/or peers

Why is Cyber bullying unique?

While any bullying is characterized often by  repetitive, hurt or harm to another person or persons, there are distinguishing elements when it happens online or via smartphone.

1. The negative behavior usually happens when the victim is not being seen by others this is because it happens through phones and on computer or tablets, making it more difficult to be monitored.
2. Cyber bullying can be done anonymously. Those being bullied might not know who is conducting the behavior.
3. Cyber bullying can reach a large audience. This is because the information can be easily ad quickly be shared, which makes it difficulty to contain or stop negative messages.
4. it is often easier to bully using technology because of greater physical distance.

Who is the Cyberbully? 

A cyberbully may or may not be a person the victim knows. Cyberbullies can often remain anonymous, making it difficult if not impossible to tell who the abuser is. They may work in cahoots with their friends, making it even more difficult to determine who is doing the attacking.

1. Power Hungry: Seeks attention from peers, Maintains control by intimidating victim
2. Retaliating Victim:  Was cyber bullied or bullied in past,Seeks revenge on bullies, May be less popular, but usually has above-average  computer skills 
3. Retaliating Victim: Was cyber bullied or bullied in past, Seeks revenge on bullies, May be less popular, but usually has above-average  computer skills
4.  Mean Girl: Bullies for entertainment value and to alleviate boredom (i.e. at slumber party), Aims to increase her own popularity by putting others down 
5. Vengeful Angel: Seeks revenge on behalf of those who have been   bullied,  Aims to protect friends, Doesn’t see themselves as a cyberbully 
6. Inadvertent Cyberbully: Uses internet carelessly, without considering potential impact on others, does not intentionally hurt others. 

Other topics coming up on cyber bullying include

1. Effects of cyber bullying
2. Cyber bullying in children and youth
3. Prevention of cyber bullying
4. Responding cyber bullying

Written by Jerefasio Ndungu