What is Cyberbullying?

With the ubiquitous spread of technology, many parents are asking: "What is Cyberbullying?"

Cyberbullying is when one person deliberately threatens, harasses, or humiliates another through the means of internet, mobile phones or any other digital technology. According to the stopcyberbullying.org website, cyberbullying must include a minor on both sides. They state, Once adults become involved, it is plain and simple cyber-harassment or cyberstalking. Adult cyber-harassment or cyberstalking is NEVER called cyberbullying. Fortunately there are some new tools that can put you in control to stop cyberbullying from harming your children.

If a child is approached by an adult on internet to engage in a meeting offline, then this is referred to as sexual exploitation. Sometimes teenagers who are cyberbullying may start a campaign online and attract a sexual predator, who will suggest to meet and offer the minor sex. This is one reason why cyberbully campaigns can be extremely dangerous and must be discouraged.

Another reason why cyberbullying can be so dangereous is that it may drive some teenagers to commit suicide or kill another. The harassment that one endures can be so painful that some kids don't see any other way out.

What some people may not know is that a cyberbully often times starts out as a victim to another cyberbully and has simply turned the tables as a reaction to the offence.

According to the stopcyberbullying.org website there are two types of cyberbullying: Direct Attacks and Cyberbullying by proxy.

What is Cyberbullying: Types of attacks

Direct attacks are when messages are sent directly to the victim. There are so many different ways that children attack each other through blogs, websites, interactive gaming, etc. The possibilities are only limited to the technology that is available. To learn more about different types of direct attacks, we recommend you visit the website Stop Cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying by proxy is when others are used to help cyberbully the victim (with or without the accomplice´s knowledge). The cyberbully may get others to do their dirty work and sometimes get adults involved, which can be very dangerous. The bully may pose as the victim or release the victim's personal information to hate groups or predators putting the victim in serious danger.

If you are not sure what is cyberbullying by proxy, we recommend you find out what you can do about it on this website, which offers tools expressly designed to monitor cyberbullies.

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Another way to fight bullying? Learn about a new solution which parents are using to keep their children safe on all devices here.