What is cyberbuylling?
Cyberbullying is the act of intentionally hurting someone or damaging someone’s reputation through online means. This can include through social media, video games, text messages, email and through digital devices in general. It includes posting, comment and or sharing other posts that have malicious intent towards someone or a group of people. The content that is typically used to cyberbully someone is to share personal, embarrassing or humiliating information about said person. Cyberbullying can even cross fine lines between moral indecency and unlawful criminal activity. The information that is shared can potentially be viewed by acquaintances or even complete strangers to the victim. This unfortunately can lead to unjust damage to the victims image and or reputation which could lead to future problems such as dismissals from schools or employers. Additionally, spreading the harmful information is also damaging to the image and reputation of the cyberbully due to it actively displaying their malicious intent and character.
What could someone do to help?
There are a few things that someone could do to help a victim of cyberbullying. Begin by documenting the cyberbullying and do not participate in the sharing of the content. Additionally, you could report and block the cyberbully to the platform that it is happening on. Furthermore, if you know that a piece of information that is being used to cyberbully the victim is an act of crime, you could report the cyberbully to law enforcement.
Support
If you or someone you know is being cyberbullied, needs mental health support or is in a crisis and you need further resources anonymously, please visit the links below.