Guest author听Richard White, Ph.D., is an adjunct professor of听cybersecurity听information听assurance at听UMGC. He is also听the author of the books听鈥淐yberbullying: The Silent Sickness of America鈥檚 Youth,鈥澨齛nd听鈥淐ybercrime: The Madness Behind the Methods.鈥
In the last听15听years or so, a new menace has emerged听that听threatens听to听erode trust and听destroy young lives.听Before children had access to mobile phones, social media accounts and online gaming forums, bullying occurred mainly in schoolyards听and听on听playgrounds.听There, at least you knew who the bullies were and听that you听would听be safe听at home. Sadly, today we live in a world听where听鈥渃yberbullies,鈥 perpetrators who use electronic听communication to听intimidate or threaten,听follow听their victims听right听into their听homes听and听even听the听safety听of听their bedrooms.
Cyberbullying听occurs out of public view听and away from the听sightline听of听mindful听parents, teachers,听friends听and bystanders.听Victims of cyberbullying听have nowhere to hide.
Many听people听do not听take the cyberbullying听epidemic seriously,听mainly because听they听do听not听see it or听understand听its implications.听But the consequences can be devastating.听According to the听Journal of Health Economics,听statistics听collected听as far back as听2017 indicate that internet bullying increases suicidal thinking among听its听victims by 14.5听percent听and suicide attempts by 8.7听percent.听In recent research听published in the听Journal of School Violence,听Sameer Hinduja and Justin Patchin, co-directors of the Cyberbullying Research Center,听found that students who experienced bullying or cyberbullying are nearly听twice as听likely to attempt suicide.
Social media, an听integral听part of听how听teens, especially,听communicate and interact with friends,听has made it particularly听difficult for parents to identify听the听signs听cyberbullying听and听even more difficult听for them to听prevent it.听The social aspect听of social media鈥攏amely听retweets, 鈥渓ikes鈥 and comments鈥攐pens a world of opportunity for nefarious behavior. An original message can be distorted, private photos can be听shared,听and a perfectly innocent communication can be听misused听to听victimize and torment听its originator.
Cyberbullies听remain anonymous or听masquerade as听someone else. They attack at any time听of听day or night听and听from any place in the world. Victims often find themselves alone in the fight as others听steer clear to听avoid becoming听targets, too. This gives the advantage to the cyberbully and makes it听harder听to stop the malicious activity.听
To better understand听and combat online abuse and hate, it is helpful to dispel common misconceptions about听cyberbullying.
- Cyberbullying is less harmful than traditional bullying.
False.听Traditional bullying can听be damaging and lead to听physical altercations. But the听听persistent and pervasive nature听of cyberbullying听can听fuel听deep听emotional and听physical problems听that听even lead,听in some cases, to听suicide.听The real problem with cyberbullying is the persistent听relationship听between the victim and the听digital media听source听of the abuse. A听cyberbully take advantage of this听relationship.听 - Victims of听cyberbullying show signs of emotional abuse early.
False.听With听younger听victims, often听there are听no obvious signs of abuse until the bullying problem becomes听overwhelming and dangerous.听Victims,听embarrassed by the content听a听cyberbully focuses听on or spreads, may听make every effort to hide it from those听who听care听about them.听听 - A parent can tell if a child is being cyberbullied.听
False.听Not only is this not true,听but a parent听may be听the last to know.听Children and young adults are experts听when it comes听to听hiding emotional distress.听They听go great lengths听to hide their pain听from parents and other authority figures,听particularly in the early stages of the听abuse.听
- Cyberbullying听usually unfolds in听one form.
False.听Cyberbullying听takes many shapes, including the following:
- Using text messaging to harass a victim:听Bullies听often work as a gang听to听identify a target听and听then听send hundreds of messages filled with vulgarities and personal insults. The goal is to听overwhelm a victim听by the sheer number of attacks. These听bullies may听magnify听this听by听posting rumors鈥攎eant to cause as much emotional distress as possible鈥攐n social media platforms.听听
- Falsely reporting a victim as听a听cyberbully: Many websites and chatrooms听feature a button听to notify moderators of a user who is causing harm to other people on the platforms.听If they receive multiple reports over a short period of time, the systems are designed to automatically remove someone from听their听service. Bullies use this feature to kick innocent victims off听social media networks.听
- Identity theft:听Bullies will steal听the听password to听a social media听account and听then听post inappropriate material听in full view of听parents,听relatives听and friends.听Some听cyberbullies听post听racist or sexual听information听specifically听to embarrass.听
- 罢谤辞濒濒颈苍驳:听Trolling is a term that has received widespread notoriety over the last few years. This practice involves sending a message听aimed at听eliciting an emotional response from the victim. These messages target听ethnic,听religious听or social background.听Most听of these听offenders, or听Trolls,听seek to听overwhelm听their听victims听and make them feel听vulnerable and humiliated. This leads听to feelings of hopelessness. It also leaves victims听powerless to control emotional and social situations听in听their lives.听听
- Cyberstalking:听An especially dangerous type of bullying, cyberstalking occurs when a perpetrator monitors a victim鈥檚 digital media presence to gather information听on听their听personal life,听whereabouts听and听behavior听patterns. The information is used听to听blackmail,听harass听or听solicit sex听from听a victim. This is additionally dangerous due to the close link between stalking and violence.听
- Ostracism:听A large group of friends can decide to purposefully ignore one member by failing to acknowledge听phone听calls,听texts听or online posts.听This听makes听the victim feel isolated and embarrassed.听
- Trickery:听Trickery can take several forms. For example, someone can create a fake social media account to trick a victim into believing听someone is听romantically听interested in them or to听get the听victim听to trust them.听Once the connection is achieved,听victims听might听be lured into revealing personal information that could be used to blackmail听or听embarrass them.听听
- Cyberbullies are evil and misguided.
False.听Cyberbullies, in most cases, appear well adjusted and socialize with others听in a seemingly acceptable manner. This includes听their听interactions with听parents, teachers, authority figures and even the parents of their victims.听Who, then,听becomes听a cyberbully? The听disconcerting听answer is anyone.听Context and听situation, home environment,听poor听coping skills,听past victimhood or听a听lack of supervision can all contribute听to the emergence of a cyberbully.听
Cyberbullying听is on a听rapid听rise, and听we must take a stand now to prevent and eradicate this听social disease. Tougher laws are needed to document and punish first-time and repeat offenders. More responsibility needs to reside with social media platforms.听They must block and permanently remove offenders,听both automatically and听when听reported.听We also听need to extend more authority to law enforcement agencies responsible for investigating and prosecuting offenders.
Lastly, everyone听must听be involved: parents, teachers, friends, other family members. The cost of inaction听will听be the听loss of those most vulnerable. If you know or suspect someone is being cyberbullied, act now. Tomorrow might be too late.