Safer Internet Day is an annual worldwide event targeted at raising awareness of the dangers of the Internet and promoting the use of the Internet safely and responsibly. There are many issues that Safer Internet Day addresses, but in this post, we will focus on a major issue with the rise of social media platforms: cyberbullying.
For those who don't know what cyberbullying is, it is the act of sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else (StopBullying.gov). Now, the site from which I got the definition says, "It can include sharing personal or private information about someone else, causing embarrassment or humiliation". Nonetheless, regardless of whether the person shows embarrassment or not, bullying is not excusable. Though the victim may not show their emotions, the comments/posts made about them may internally hurt them.
Before we dive into the effects of cyberbullying, let's talk about what forms cyberbullying may appear. Cyberbullying appears in various forms, including online harassment, spreading rumors, and even online threats.
Online harassment is when a person is repeatedly sent hurtful messages, threats, or insults. This is one of the most common forms of cyberbullying and the easiest to perform. Hiding behind a screen and sending insulting messages takes little to no effort. Not being able to see the expressions of the person on the other side makes the sender feel less guilty about what they are saying. Sometimes, even a small joke can cause severe reverberations to a person.
This brings us to the second most common form of cyberbullying, spreading rumors. Sharing false or unwanted personal information about someone online is labeled as spreading rumors. Usually, the person/people who start the rumors try to remain anonymous so that the victim has a harder time figuring out who started it and reporting them. This is a seemingly "less risky" approach for bullies, as there's a lower chance of them being caught compared to direct online harassment; which is what makes this form of cyberbullying quite common. I've heard bad rumors about certain people, which set an impression on me—making me think the victim was not a good influence. However, it was not long before I found out that the rumors were entirely wrong and that the individual was a kind and genuine person.
The last most common form of cyberbullying is online threats. Now this one is straightforward, as it is literally sending a person threats (usually ones including some sort of violence) on some sort of social media or messaging platform. Though this may be uncommon, I feel that this form is one of the worst. Online threats can instill trauma and fear within a person, depending on the intensity and interpretation of the threat. There are countless cases where a person has been sent online threats and developed mental disorders.
Now that we know some of the most common forms that cyberbullying appears in. Let's discuss some more about the effects:
1) Emotional distress: Cyberbullying, as briefed before, can be emotionally devastating. It can cause anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and feelings of isolation and hopelessness.
2) Social isolation: Victims of cyberbullying may suffer from trust issues and avoid socializing with people—burying themselves into a hole.
3) Academic performance: Cyberbullying can majorly affect the performance of a victim in academics, disrupting the victim's ability to concentrate and remember details because of the constant low esteem and motivation.
4) Physical health: You may have already known that cyberbullying can affect a victim's mental health, but did you know that physical health could also be affected?? Yes, a person can face sleep disturbances, headaches, stomachaches, etc.
These effects are often seen in people, but of course, the more the damage inflicted, the worse the consequences could get.
Here come the 2 big questions that we all have in our minds: "How can I be prepared for situations like these?" and more importantly, "How can I help someone who is suffering from cyberbullying or prevent them from facing this?".
To answer the first question, ensure that before anything, you understand that every person is different in their own way. Do not let someone else's opinion shape and affect you. Besides that important step, make sure you know and have a trusted adult whom you believe could help you if you were to ever be cyberbullied and unable to deal with it yourself. If not an adult, you should at least have a friend(s) whom you can count on to help you combat the bullying and/or to console you if the bullying is intense. This can help you feel less alone and provide you with the support you need to defend and deal with the situation. It opens up different perspectives and solutions for the situation. If you are being cyberbullied, save the evidence, for nowadays, it is easy to delete messages, posts, or media and deny their existence. It's better to have proof of the bullying just in case you end up having to report the individual bullying you. Some final tips are to be careful with what you post on social media and the internet. From messages to posts, be mindful and aware of what you are posting. Also, use strong passwords and keep them private. Keep them safe so that no one can gain access to your account. Last, never engage in cyberbullying yourself. Sometimes, even what seemed to be a little joke can hurt a person deeply.
Now to tackle the second question. This one is simpler, as it takes most of what was covered in the first question. Of course, inform your friend(s) about the tips from the paragraph above. Hear out what your friend who is being bullied is going through. Sometimes, just listening can do wonders. In addition, a real friend would step in and defend their friend. Being a bystander can be just as bad as being involved in the bullying. Showing support can raise the morale of your friend and help them get back on their feet.
Technology is a privilege. Don't abuse it. Join us as we raise awareness of the dangers of the internet. Let's strive for a more harmonious future online and offline.
All sources:
1) Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs (ASPA). “What Is Cyberbullying.” StopBullying.gov, 8 Oct. 2024, www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/what-is it#:~:text=Cyberbullying%20includes%20sending%2C%20posting%2C%20or,mean%20content%20about%20someone%20else.
2) How to Prevent Cyberbullying (for Parents) (for Parents). kidshealth.org/en/parents/cyberbullying.html#:~:text=What%20Is%20Cyberbullying%3F,embarrass%2C%20or%20target%20another%20person.
3) Cyberbullying: What Is It and How to Stop It. What Teens Want to Know About Cyberbullying." UNICEF, Feb. 2024, www.unicef.org/end-violence/how-to-stop-cyberbullying#:~:text=sending%20hurtful%2C%20abusive%20or%20threatening,or%20videos%20via%20messaging%20platforms&text=Examples%20include%3A,of%20someone%20on%20social%20media.
4) National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC). "Bullying and cyberbullying." NSPCC, www.nspcc.org.uk/what-is-child-abuse/types-of-abuse/bullying-and-cyberbullying/. Accessed 25 Jan. 2025
5) Cyberbullying (for Teens). kidshealth.org/en/teens/cyberbullying.html#:~:text=It%20also%20can%20make%20someone,can%20make%20things%20much%20worse.
6) Cénat, Jude Mary, et al. “Cyberbullying, Psychological Distress and Self-esteem Among Youth in Quebec Schools.” Journal of Affective Disorders, vol. 169, July 2014, pp. 7–9, doi:10.1016/j.jad.2014.07.019.
7) Samsudin, Nadia, et al. “The Impact of Cyberbullying on Loneliness and Well-being Among Malaysian Adolescents: The Mediation Role of Psychological Distress.” F1000Research, vol. 13, Jan. 2024, p. 33, doi:10.12688/f1000research.140234.1.
8) “Cyberbullying, Human Rights and Bystanders.” Australian Human Rights Commission, humanrights.gov.au/our-work/commission-general/cyberbullying-human-rights-and-bystanders-0#:~:text=It%20can%20lead%20to%20emotional,anxiety%2C%20concentration%20and%20learning%20difficulties.
9) Nagata, Jason M., et al. “Cyberbullying and Sleep Disturbance Among Early Adolescents in the U.S.” Academic Pediatrics, vol. 23, no. 6, Dec. 2022, pp. 1220–25, doi:10.1016/j.acap.2022.12.007.
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