In the previous article, I wrote about what is bullying? Its types and how it affects our lives. In this era of digital revolution, the worst type of bullying which affects our lives badly is Cyberbullying. "Cyberbullying" is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones.
Cyberbullying happens generally in the digital media like phone, computers, over social media. It includes:
Posting inappropriate media belonging to someone else,
Stalking
Making inappropriate comments.
Posting inappropriate media belonging to someone else,
Stalking
Making inappropriate comments.
We live in an era where everything is getting digitalised. We are getting socially active, unfortunately here socially means active on social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, snapchat etc. We post everything on the social media from updating statuses like “what we are doing” to “getting married” to “digital marketing”.
That’s why cyberbullying is worst. All one has to do put someone else’ embarrassing picture or video or comment; And the whole world knows that. Sometimes it crosses a line to such extent that people go in depression or worst, commit suicide!! When adults get involved, it is called cyber-harassment or cyberstalking. Adult cyber-harassment or cyberstalking is NEVER called cyberbullying. It isn't when an adult is trying to lure children into offline meetings, that is called sexual exploitation or luring by a sexual predator. But sometimes when a minor starts a cyberbullying campaign it involves sexual predators who are intrigued by the sexual harassment or even ads posted by the cyberbullying offering up the victim for sex.
What we need to do is to teach our children about the cyberbullying. We need to teach them about technology and not to misuse them. We need to report every cyberbullying so that it can be addressed and rectified.