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What Is Cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying is the use of technology to harass, threaten, embarrass, or target another
person. Online threats and mean, aggressive, or rude texts, tweets, posts, or messages all
count. So does posting personal information, pictures, or videos designed to hurt or embarrass
someone else.

Cyberbullying also includes photos, messages, or pages that don't get taken down, even after
the person has been asked to do so. In other words, it's anything that gets posted online and is
meant to hurt, harass, or upset someone else.

Intimidation or mean comments that focus on things like a person's gender, religion, sexual
orientation, race, or physical differences count as discrimination, which is against the law in many
states. That means the police could get involved, and bullies may face serious penalties.

Online bullying can be particularly damaging and upsetting because it's usually anonymous or
hard to trace. It's also hard to control, and the person being victimized has no idea how many
people (or hundreds of people) have seen the messages or posts. People can be tormented
nonstop whenever they check their device or computer.

Online bullying and harassment can be easier to commit than other acts of bullying because the
bully doesn't have to confront his or her target in person.

What Are the Consequences of Cyberbullying?

Sometimes, online bullying, like other kinds of bullying, can lead to serious long-lasting problems.
The stress of being in a constant state of upset or fear can lead to problems with mood, energy
level, sleep, and appetite. It also can make someone feel jumpy, anxious, or sad. If someone is
already depressed or anxious, cyberbullying can make things much worse.
It's not just the person being bullied who gets hurt. The punishment for cyberbullies can be
serious. More and more schools and after-school programs are creating systems to respond to
cyberbullying. Schools may dismiss bullies from sports teams or suspend them from school.
Some types of cyberbullying may violate school codes or even break anti-discrimination
or sexual harassment laws. So a bully may face serious legal trouble.

Why Do People Do It?

Why would someone be a cyberbully? There are probably as many reasons as there are bullies
themselves.

Sometimes, what seems like online harassment may be accidental. The impersonal nature of
text messages, posts, and other ways of communicating online means it can be hard to figure out
if someone is joking or not.

Most people know when they're being bullied, though, because bullying involves repeated
insults or threats. The people doing the bullying know they've crossed a line, too. It's not a one-
off joke or insult — it's constant harassment and threats that go beyond typical fun teasing or a
nasty comment made in anger.

What Can I Do About Cyberbullying?

Sometimes, people are afraid or not sure if they're being bullied or not. So they don't do anything
about it. If you're being bullied, harassed, or teased in a hurtful way — or know someone who is
— you don't have to suffer in silence. In fact, you absolutely should report any upsetting texts,
messages, posts, or emails.

Tell someone. Most experts agree: The first thing to do is tell an adult you trust. This is often
easier said than done. People who are cyberbullied may feel embarrassed or reluctant to report a
bully. Some may hesitate because they're not 100% sure who is doing the bullying. But bullying
can get worse, so speak up until you find someone to help. Sometimes the police can track
down an anonymous online bully, so it's often worthwhile to report it.

Most parents are so concerned about protecting their kids that sometimes they focus on taking
major steps to stop the bullying. If you're being bullied and worry about losing your phone or
computer privileges, explain your fears to your parents. Let them know how important it is to stay
connected, and work with them to figure out a solution that doesn't leave you feeling punished as
well as picked on. You may have to do some negotiating on safe phone or computer use — the
most important thing is to first get the bullying under control.

You also can talk to your school counselor or a trusted teacher or family member. If the bullying
feels like it's really getting you down (like if it's affecting your sleep or concentration), therapy can
help. If you're not ready for that, you can still benefit from the support of a trusted adult.

Walk away. What you've heard about walking away from a real-life bully works in the virtual
world too. Ignoring bullies is the best way to take away their power, but it isn't always easy to do
— in the real world or online.

If you see something upsetting, try to step away from the computer or turn off your phone for a
while. Don't respond, and never forward the message to someone else. Find something to
distract yourself from what's going on. Do something you love that doesn't give you time to think
about what's happening, like playing the guitar, going for a run, or losing yourself in a book or
movie. You can also just chat with a parent or sibling or play with a pet.

Taking a break like this allows you to keep things in perspective and focus on the good things in
your life. It also gives you time to figure out how you want to handle things.

Resist the urge to retaliate or respond. Walking away or taking a break when you're faced with
online bullying gives you some space so you won't be tempted to fire back a response or engage
with the bully or bullies. Responding when we're upset can make things worse. (Standing up to a
bully can be effective sometimes, but it's more likely to provoke the person and escalate the
situation.) Taking a break gives the power back to you!
Although it's not a good idea to respond to a bully, it is a good idea to save evidence of the
bullying if you can. It can help you prove your case, if needed. You don't have to keep mean
emails, texts, or other communications where you see them all the time — you can ask a parent
to make a copy or save them to a flash drive.
Report bullying. Social media sites take it seriously when people post cruel or mean stuff or set
up fake accounts. If users report abuse, the site administrator may block the bully from using the
site in the future. If someone sends you mean texts or emails, report it to phone service or email
providers (such as Comcast, Google, and Verizon).
Block the bully. Most devices have settings that let you electronically block the bully or bullies
from sending notes. If you don't know how to do this, ask a friend or adult who does.
Be safe online. Password protect your smartphone and your online sites, and change your
passwords often. Be sure to share your passwords only with your parent or guardian. It's also
wise to think twice before sharing personal information or photos/videos that you don't want the
world to see. Once you've posted a photo or message, it can be difficult or impossible to delete.
So remind yourself to be cautious when posting photos or responding to someone's upsetting
message.

If a Friend Is a Bully
If you know of a friend who is acting as a cyberbully, take him or her aside and talk about it.
Without putting your friend down, stand up for your own principles: Let the bully know it's not OK.

Explain to your friend that bullying can have serious consequences: for the bully, for those being
bullied, and even for bystanders like you and your friends.
What Is Cyberbullying?
When a young person uses the Internet or technology to harass,
threaten, embarrass, or target another person, this person is called
a cyberbully.1 Typically, cyberbullying involves tweens and teens; but it's
not uncommon for adults to experience cyberbullying and public shaming
as well. 
Compared to traditional bullying, the effects of cyberbullying are often
more significant. Not only do the hurtful messages reach an unlimited
audience, but the words and images are often preserved online. 2

Even if someone deletes a mean post, chances are it's still available in
some form such as in a screenshot or a shared text message. Worse yet,
those targeted by cyberbullies often don't know who is bullying them, so
they often have no way to bring it to an end.

 More Kids Are Cyberbullied Than Are Bullied

Types of Cyberbullying
Teens are online now more than ever. Every day they use their
smartphones, tablets, and computers not only to research material for
school but to socialize with friends and family members.

In fact, texting and using social media is one of the top ways kids
communicate with others. But just like any other social activity, the
opportunity for bullying exists.

While there are a number of different ways kids are bullying others online,
the majority of online harassment falls into one of six categories. Here are
six of the most common methods of cyberbullying.
Harassment
Harassing someone is a common method of online bullying. This type of
cyberbullying occurs when someone uses one of these strategies to
torment another person.

 Engaging in “warning wars.” Many internet service providers and

social media sites offer a way to report a user who is saying something
inappropriate. Kids use these report buttons as a way to get the victim in
trouble or kicked offline.
 Participating in text wars or text attacks, which occur when bullies
gang up on the victim and send thousands of texts. These attacks not only
cause emotional distress but create a large cell phone bill if you don't
have unlimited texting.
 Posting rude, mean, or insulting comments about the victim via the
chat option of online gaming sites.
 Posting rumors, threats, or embarrassing information on social
networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.3 Sometimes
teens and tweens also will engage in subtweeting and vaguebooking to
harass someone in a more subtle way.
 Using text messaging, instant messaging, and email to harass,
threaten, or embarrass the target.4

 Why Cyberbullies Choose People They Know

Impersonation
A cyberbully also may impersonate another person, causing problems in
that person's life. Here are some examples of ways cyberbullies pretend
to be the person they are targeting.

 Change the target’s online profile to include sexual, racist, or other

inappropriate things.
 Develop a screen name that is similar to the victim’s screen name and
then post rude or hurtful remarks while pretending to be the victim.
 Pretend to be someone else in order to lure an unsuspecting person
into a fake relationship. This type of activity is often called catfishing.
 Set up a social media account and post as the victim while saying
mean, hurtful, or offensive things online.5 Actual photos of the victim may
be used to make the account look authentic.
 Steal the victim’s password and chat with other people while
pretending to be the victim. The bully will say mean things that offend and
anger the victim’s friends or acquaintances.

 Catfishing and How It Relates to Cyberbullying

Inappropriate Photographs
Bullying may include the use of embarrassing or inappropriate images.
Here's a closer look at how cyberbullies may use photos and images to
cyberbully others.

 Posting nude pictures on photo sharing sites for anyone on the

internet to view and download.
 Sending mass emails or text messages that include nude or degrading
photos of the victim. This behavior is often called “sexting,” and once the
photos are sent, there is no way to control it. The photos can be
distributed to hundreds of people within just a few hours.
 Taking nude or degrading pictures of the victim in a locker room, a
bathroom, or dressing room without their permission.
 Threatening to share embarrassing photos as a way of controlling or
blackmailing the victim.
 Using photographs to shame someone online. One common tactic
teens use is to engage in slut shaming. This behavior involves shaming
someone, usually a girl, for the way she dresses, acts, or the number of
people she has dated.

 How Teens Use Instagram to Troll Others

Website Creation
A bully may create a website, blog, or poll to harass another person. Here
are ways cyberbullies use websites to bully others.

 Conduct an internet poll about the victim. Questions in the poll may
vary including everything from who is ugly and who smells to who is dumb
and who is fat.
 Create a blog about the victim that is embarrassing, insulting, or
humiliating.
 Develop a website with information that is humiliating,
embarrassing, or insulting for the victim. 5
 Post the victim’s personal information and pictures on a website,
which puts the victim in danger of being contacted by predators. 5
Spread rumors, tell lies, or gossip about the victim online through
websites or blogs.
 Use information that was shared in confidence and make it public in
a website or blog.

 8 Reasons Why Cyberbullies Lash Out at Others

Video Shaming
The use of videos may be used for online bullying. These short clips are
often extremely hurtful to the people being targeted. Here are some ways
cyberbullies use videos to shame and humiliate others.

 Creating an incident that causes another person to become upset or

emotional and then record the incident. This type of activity is often
 referred to as cyberbaiting. Teachers are a common target
for cyberbaiting incidents.
 Downloading a video of something humiliating and posting it to
YouTube in order to allow a larger audience to view the incident.
 Sharing a video via mass e-mail or text messaging to humiliate and
embarrass the victim.
 Using a camera phone to video and later share a bullying incident,
which may include one or more kids slapping, hitting, kicking, or punching
the victim. Embarrassing moments are sometimes recorded and shared as
well.

Other Subtle Methods

Methods such as subtweeting or vaguebooking as well phishing email
programs can be used to bully and avoid detection. Here are just a few
ways that cyberbullies engage in subtle forms of cyberbullying.

 Posting tweets or Facebook posts that never mention the victim's

name. Yet the victim, the bully, and often a larger audience know who the
posts are referencing.
 Using subtle posts and tweets to fuel the rumor mill while avoiding
detection by teachers, administrators, and parents.
 Sending viruses, spyware, or hacking programs to the victim through
email or text in order to spy on the victim or control their computer
remotely.

 How Subtweeting Is Used to Cyberbully

Impact of Cyberbullying
When kids experience cyberbullying, they experience a variety of
physical, psychological, and emotional consequences. Consequently, they
may complain of everything from fear and anxiety to depression and
low self-esteem. They also may struggle academically and report feelings
of significant distress. In fact, more than 30% of kids who are targeted by
cyberbullies report experiencing symptoms of stress. 6
Victims of cyberbullying also find it difficult to feel safe and may feel alone
and isolated,2 especially if they are being ostracized by their peers.
Cyberbullying also can lead to increasing levels of anxiety and depression.
One study found that as many as 93% of kids victimized by cyberbullies
reported feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and powerlessness. 2

If your child is being targeted by cyberbullying, it's important that you

work with them to report the cyberbullying and do everything you can to
get the victimization to stop. Additionally, you should talk to their
pediatrician or a mental health professional about what your child is
experiencing. Expecting your child to cope with the cyberbullying on their
own is not realistic.
 Effects of Cyberbullying

Coping with Cyberbullying

If your child has been victimized by cyberbullying, it's important that you
help them develop tools for coping with what they are experiencing. This
may mean enlisting the help of a mental health professional.

You also want to be sure you are keeping the lines of communication
open and that you're validating your child's feelings. Here are some other
tips to help your child cope with cyberbullying.

 Encourage your child to reclaim control. Cyberbullying can make

teens feel like their lives are out of control. For this reason, you want to
give them opportunities where they feel like they have some control. One
way to do this is to encourage your child to use what they have
experienced and turn it into something good like helping others going
through the same thing.
 Focus on learning from the experience. Whether your child needs a
boost to their self-esteem or they need to learn to think positively, help
your child identify what they can learn from this experience. You also can
help them reframe their experience and focus on the good that has come
from it rather than the pain that it caused.
 Help your child focus on the future. It's very easy for bullied kids to
stay stuck in their pain. Instead, help them focus on the future and set
goals rather than dwelling on the pain they're experiencing. Remind them
that middle school and high school are just a small portion of their entire
lives. So, while you should validate their feelings, help them look toward
the future too. Doing so teaches them how to take back their power.

 9 Ways to Help Kids Respond to Cyberbullying

Preventing Cyberbullying
When it comes to preventing cyberbullying, it's important that you not
only help your child implement some safety measures, but that you also
have an ongoing dialogue about how to use social media safely. It's also
important to talk about the risks of cyberbullying and what to do if they
are bullied online. Here are some ways that you can help prevent
cyberbullying in your child's life.

 Help them utilize privacy tools and settings. Almost every social
media platform contains privacy tools and settings. Help your child make
use of these tools in a way that keeps their account private, prevents
people from sharing their photos, and requires their approval before
people can post to their pages or accounts.
 Show them how to protect their accounts and devices. Passwords
are one of the most effective ways to protect your child's social media
accounts as well as their computer, laptop, tablet, and smartphone. Be
 sure your child knows that they should never share their password with
their friends. Even their best friend should not know their passwords
because there is no guarantee that they will be friends forever.
 Require them to keep personal information private. Remind your
child that they should never share personal information online. This
includes things like their address, the school they attend, and even their
last name. The more information that they make available, the easier it is
for cyberbullies to target them.
 Talk to them about not sharing their location. Many kids like to share
their location with their friends. While this is usually fine, it also can
provide detailed information about your child's whereabouts to kids who
have less than genuine intentions toward them. Knowing your child's
location makes it easier for abusive boyfriends or girlfriends to stalk your
child or for cyberbullies to exploit this information.
 Teach them to think before posting. Often an impulsive post or
comment can be an open door for cyberbullying. Make sure your child
knows that they should always take time to really think about what
they're posting before putting it online. Even if they post something and
then delete it, there is still the risk that someone will see it, take a
screenshot of it, and exploit it. It is better to always be slow to post.
 Encourage your child to limit their posts and their time on social
media. Kids who post a lot of selfies or self-reflective posts often attract
the attention of cyberbullies. Plus, when there are a lot of photos or posts,
it gives cyberbullies a lot of material to work with. Encourage your child to
limit how much they are posting to social media.
 Perform a social media audit. Every few months, sit down with your
child and go through their social media accounts. Talk about what should
be deleted from their account because of the potential ways in which the
posts could be misconstrued. Performing a social media audit is also a
great way to ensure that their social media account presents images and
posts that colleges and future employers would find acceptable as well.
 Encourage your child to log out of social media apps and email when
on public computers. Simply closing the tab where they were viewing their
Instagram or Facebook account is not enough when they are on public
computers at school, the library, or a coffee shop. It's too easy for a
person to go to that page after they walk away and be inside your child's
personal account. Cyberbullies can then change passwords or impersonate
your child online.
 Tell your child to report cyberbullies instead of responding to
them. One of the biggest mistakes kids make is to respond to
cyberbullying with a post that fights back or tries to explain. This
interaction is what the cyberbully is hoping for. Consequently, it is safer
for your child to ignore the posts and block the person. It's also important
that they talk to you about what they're experiencing and report the
cyberbully to the appropriate people. This might mean reporting them to
the social media provider, the school, or even the police if the
cyberbullying involves threats or violates cyberbullying laws.

 10 Tips for Putting an End to School Bullying

A Word From Verywell
Although cyberbullying involves using social media, smartphones, text
messages, and online apps as tools and weapons, these tools are not the
problem. Cyberbullying occurs because of the choices kids make.
Restricting your child's digital access will not prevent them from being
cyberbullied. In fact, kids can still create a fake profile and impersonate
your child online.

Instead of controlling your child's online access, focus your efforts on

educating your child about the risks of cyberbullying. Talk to them about
how to make smart choices online and how to report cyberbullying if it
occurs. Keeping an open dialogue with your kids about cyberbullying is
the most effective way to deal with the issue.