Bullying in schools is not a new problem, but in the online world of today, it does not seem that way. The incidents of face-to-face harassment that once were confined to the school playground, have been extended to all areas of children and teens existence throughout the use of technology. Bullying is associated with the concept of harassment, which is a form of unprovoked aggression that is often directed frequently toward another person or group of people (Hinduja & Patchin, 2015). In recent years, a new kind of bullying has emerged, called cyberbullying. It shows the growing predominance of digital technology.
Cyberbullying can be defined as an aggressive and deliberate action carried out by an individual or a group of people using electronic methods of communication, repeatedly against a victim who cannot simply protect himself or herself (Brewer & Kerslake, 2015). The State of Louisiana describes cyberbullying as “the transmission of any electronic textual, visual, written, or oral communication with the malicious and willful intent to coerce, abuse, torment, or intimidate a person” (Hinduja & Patchin, 2015, p. 5). In fact, intention is usually a vital element of criminal law. Most academic and legal definitions of bullying involve intent. The outcomes of bullying victimization involve psychological and psychosomatic distress and problematic emotional and social responses. In addition, depression has been a regularly repeated result of bullying and appears to extend into adulthood (Hinduja & Patchin, 2015).
The Nature of Cyberbullying
According to Hinduja and Patchin (2015), individuals use technological devices to manifest hate and aggression, largely because of the following elements:
- Anonymity and pseudonymity. Cyberbullies falsely believe that they can hide behind a virtual mask to protect their identities, and thus express unconscionable textual violence. It is essential to realize that people are almost never entirely anonymous when they communicate in cyberspace.
- Disinhibition. To be disinhibited is to free yourself from limitations on your behavior, cyberbullies do not have to deal with the direct emotional, psychological, or physical effects of personal harassment on their victim.
- Deindividuation. An individual’s behavior is affected more by the online environment than by what they know about real-world social norms or the potential consequences.
- Lack of supervision. There are no regulating professionals or administrative hosts who are guarding the posts that people make on social media platforms.
- Hurtful or humiliating content can be transmitted to a large number of people in a brief period of time.
- Limitless victimization risk. With so many adolescents continually connected to their phones and almost continuously occupied in the use of text messages and social networks, potential bullies can infiltrate the individual spaces of possible victims 24/7.
Legal Issues
Many school personnel is unwilling to get involved in cyberbullying events because they fear they will exceed their legal authority. According to Hinduja and Patchin (2015), “It is important to remember… that inaction is action” (p. 112). School leaders have a moral duty to take action when harassment is brought to their consideration.
References
Brewer, G., & Kerslake, J. (2015). Cyberbullying, self-esteem, empathy and loneliness. Computers in Human Behavior, 48, 255-260. [PDF File]. Retrieved from https://luonline.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-2898662-dt-content-rid-22378146_1/xid-22378146_1
Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. W. (2015). Bullying beyond the schoolyard: Preventing and responding to cyberbullying. (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications. Kindle Edition.
