essay on how to stop cyber bullying

Cyberbullying Essays

How to stop Cyber bullying Essay

The use of information technology is currently a more popular social phenomenon than ever before. Thus, most young people are using the Internet for different purposes which may include studies and undertaking research, but mostly for socialization (Ybarra 247). The internet has now become a big source of fun for the majority of young people, with chatting, e-mailing, sharing pictures, videos and other forms of documents and files becoming everyday activities. Nevertheless, just like in many other social situations in life, there are people who take pride in harassing, demeaning and bullying others using the information technology and electronic devices, a practice commonly referred to as cyber bullying (“Prevent Cyber bullying”). Bullying can cause frustrations on the victims, especially those who are bullied constantly, resulting in psychological trauma or even more fatal occurrences such as suicide. Thus, parents should team up with their children to explore and develop safe ways of using technology, while monitoring and controlling their children’s internet use, to protect their children against cyber bullying. The practice of receiving mean messages, threatening texts, hurtful posts or even negative and damaging rumors is something that is happening with teens and adolescents every single day globally. It is no longer unusual for teens to find sexually explicit and obscene photographs of them or their friends on the internet, even without knowing how pictures ended up there. According to bullyingstatistics.org, 50 of adolescents and teens have experienced cyber bullying, and equally 50 of the teens and adolescents have been involved in cyber bullying (bullyingstatistics.org). Additionally, one in every three adolescents has received threatening messages either through the Internet or over the phone, while 25 of teens have experienced repetitive cyber bullying (bullyingstatistics.org). Consequently, according to statistics from the meganmeierfoundation.org, 2.2 million school children reported having experienced cyber bullying in the USA in 2011 (“Bullying, Cyber bullying & Suicide Statistics”). Most worrying though, is the fact that 38 of frequent bullied-victims in 2013 reported having suicidal thoughts, which sends a shock down the spine, considering that suicide has been identified as the third major cause of death for young people aged between 15 and 24 years (“Bullying, Cyber bullying & Suicide Statistics”). While the connection between cyber bullying and suicidal thoughts for 38 of the people who have been bullied repetitively can seem to be farfetched, there is no doubt that evidence lies everywhere that cyber bullying is a killer behavior. Alexis Pilkington, a well known and celebrated athlete at her prime age of career committed suicide in her bedroom, following a streak of cyber bullying messages, thus ending her promising life on March 21, 2010 (Long and Gross, n.p.). Why is cyber bulling such a big issue if one may ask? Cyber bullying has the same effects as physical bullying; only that cyber bullying is worse, since there is no running away (Ybarra, 251). It would be easier to escape from physical confrontation, but the psychological trauma arising from cyber bullying is devastating. This is because; the internet is all over, and if an individual being cyber-bullied decided not to access the internet anymore, his/her friends or alternatively enemies, will still make the torture continue. Simply put therefore, cyber bullying can frustrate a victim to death, since there are just very few options of running away from it once it has started (Ybarra, 251). The major problem is that the victim may at times turn out to be the aggressor in an attempt to defend against the cyber bullies, and this can go on until cows come home. However, one thing is certain; psychological trauma, mental illnesses or at worst suicidal thoughts, are not farfetched occurrences on cyber bullying victims. There is no doubt therefore, that many organizations, both online and on-location have come up to help address the vice of cyber bullying. In every major city or town, every social media site and every community organization running out there, someone is doing something about cyber bullying. Campaigns have been launched on the online platforms and even in the mainstream media through print messages warning against the evil of cyber bullying, while others are advertising professional help for the victims of cyber bullying. The setback associated with online and on-location campaigns against cyber bullying is that they target helping the victims of cyber bullying, and not so much on preventing potential victims from falling into the trap (bullyingstatistics.org). The government on its side is enacting, defining and redefining laws and statutes that can prosecute the perpetrators of cyber bullying once they have been unlucky to be nabbed by the hand of the law. Nevertheless, even with appropriate laws in place, with the anonymity option that cyber bullies mostly apply, finding them into the drag net is something that resilience will reward. Simply put therefore, the society is trying the most viable options at hand, but the options never prove to be adequate for the daunting task of bringing down cyber bullying (Long and Gross, n.p.). Therefore, the best and only solution to cyber bullying is this one; child-parent partnership to exploring and adapting safe ways of using the internet. Culture builds people or people build culture. Either way, culture has an influence on the way of life of a people. Thus, building the culture of responsible use of the internet and the social media platforms is the most fool proof method of addressing cyber bullying (“Prevent Cyber bullying”.). However, building such a culture cannot be that simple. The internet has temptations. But, even with the temptations, a prepared and warned teen or adolescent is better in handling the temptation than the unprepared and the clueless one. In this respect, parents can build a culture of responsible internet use through partnering with their children, not in prohibiting them from the social media and internet use, but letting them understand fully the magnitude of the danger posed by irresponsible use of the internet and the other technology tools available to them (“Prevent Cyber bullying”). Parents can sit down and discuss with their children about the internet and its applications. Parents should know what their children are doing online by carefully monitoring every of their online interaction whenever possible. Through the child-parent partnership, parents should set the rule of internet and other technology tools used by their children (“Prevent Cyber bullying”). With the knowledge of how the children are using the internet and the rules of its use in place, parents should enforce the rules with a firm hand, but encourage and reward responsible use with an equally open and embracing hand. Parents should become indirect partners to what their children do online. Monitor whatever they do through secretly installed monitoring and control software (“Prevent Cyber bullying”). Parents should borrow and use their children’s devices for simple and routine surveillance. Parent can recommend a responsible adult to follow their children on their social media websites and pages, and simply evaluate their activities. Parents should make their children’s social media and internets use their job to monitor and control. There are still chances that critics will counter this solution by holding that parents cannot stalk their children forever, while also holding that it is unethical to stalk their children’s internet and social media interactions anyway. The position for this argument however, is that monitoring and control can continue until the age of responsibility is attained, where it may become tricky for parents to continue monitoring and controlling their children. However, by then, their children will have developed a culture of caution, if not that of desisting from potentially harmful internet and social media interactions (Ybarra, 255). This way, a win-win situation will have been created by averting the chances of cyber bullies attacking such children, while also protecting against such children turning out to be cyber-bullies. If every parent would do that, then, only the runaway dissidents would be conducting the cyber bullying business, and even then, they would be fewer for the hand of law to target effectively. Works Cited “Bullying, Cyber bullying & Suicide Statistics.” Megan Meier Foundation, 2013. Web. 17 February 2015 < meganmeierfoundation.org> “Cyber Bullying Statistics.” Bullyingstatistics.org, 2013. Web. 17 February 2015 < bullyingstatistics.org> Long, Colleen and Samantha Gross. “Alexis Pilkington Facebook Horror: Cyber Bullies Harass Teen Even After Suicide.” The Huffing ton Post, May 24, 2010. Web. 17 February 2015. < huffingtonpost.com/> “Prevent Cyber bullying.” U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, n.d. Web. 17 February 2015. < stopbullying.gov > Ybarra, Michele L. “Linkages between depressive symptomatology and Internet harassment among young regular Internet users”. Cyberpsychol and Behavior 7, 2 (2004): 247-57.

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Cyber Bullying Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on cyber bullying.

Cyber Bullying Essay: In today’s world which has been made smaller by technology, new age problems have been born. No doubt technology has a lot of benefits; however, it also comes with a negative side. It has given birth to cyberbullying. To put it simply, cyberbullying refers to the misuse of information technology with the intention to harass others.

Subsequently, cyberbullying comes in various forms. It doesn’t necessarily mean hacking someone’s profiles or posing to be someone else. It also includes posting negative comments about somebody or spreading rumors to defame someone. As everyone is caught up on the social network, it makes it very easy for anyone to misuse this access.

In other words, cyberbullying has become very common nowadays. It includes actions to manipulate, harass and defame any person. These hostile actions are seriously damaging and can affect anyone easily and gravely. They take place on social media, public forums, and other online information websites. A cyberbully is not necessarily a stranger; it may also be someone you know.

Cyber Bullying is Dangerous

Cyberbullying is a multi-faced issue. However, the intention of this activity is one and the same. To hurt people and bring them harm. Cyberbullying is not a light matter. It needs to be taken seriously as it does have a lot of dangerous effects on the victim.

Moreover, it disturbs the peace of mind of a person. Many people are known to experience depression after they are cyberbullied. In addition, they indulge in self-harm. All the derogatory comments made about them makes them feel inferior.

It also results in a lot of insecurities and complexes. The victim which suffers cyberbullying in the form of harassing starts having self-doubt. When someone points at your insecurities, they only tend to enhance. Similarly, the victims worry and lose their inner peace.

Other than that, cyberbullying also tarnishes the image of a person. It hampers their reputation with the false rumors spread about them. Everything on social media spreads like wildfire. Moreover, people often question the credibility. Thus, one false rumor destroys people’s lives.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

How to Prevent Cyber Bullying?

Cyberbullying prevention is the need of the hour. It needs to be monitored and put an end to. There are various ways to tackle cyberbullying. We can implement them at individual levels as well as authoritative levels.

Firstly, always teach your children to never share personal information online. For instance, if you list your home address or phone number there, it will make you a potential target of cyberbullying easily.

Secondly, avoid posting explicit photos of yourself online. Also, never discuss personal matters on social media. In other words, keep the information limited within your group of friends and family. Most importantly, never ever share your internet password and account details with anyone. Keep all this information to yourself alone. Be alert and do not click on mysterious links, they may be scams. In addition, teach your kids about cyberbullying and make them aware of what’s wrong and right.

In conclusion, awareness is the key to prevent online harassment. We should make the children aware from an early age so they are always cautious. Moreover, parents must monitor their children’s online activities and limit their usage. Most importantly, cyberbullying must be reported instantly without delay. This can prevent further incidents from taking place.

FAQs on Cyber Bullying

Q.1 Why is Cyberbullying dangerous?

A.1 Cyberbullying affects the mental peace of a person. It takes a toll on their mental health. Moreover, it tarnishes the reputation of an individual.

Q.2 How to prevent cyberbullying?

A.2 We may prevent cyberbullying by limiting the information we share online. In addition, we must make children aware of the forms of cyberbullying and its consequences.

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Home / Parenting, Kids & Teens / What is cyberbullying and how can it be prevented?

What is cyberbullying and how can it be prevented?

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Bullying has blighted childhood and growing up since time began. Bullying can include mean words, teasing, spiteful pranks, the spreading of false rumors, name-calling, the taking of personal items, exclusion from social groups and events, graffiti scrawled on a locker, pushing and shoving, harassment, threats, and in its worst form, physical violence. Bullying is repetitive, not just a single act of aggression.

Kids who are bullied often withdraw socially, begin to underperform academically, feel anxious, sleep badly, and may eventually become depressed and feel trapped if the bullying goes on long enough.

As seen in the media, extreme bullying scenarios have resulted in a tragic and growing list of young people who take their own lives, at least in part to escape persistent bullying.

Most forms of in-person bullying now also take place online, potentially doubling a child’s exposure to bullying. Online, screen-based or technology-based bullying, which can happen across any medium where social interaction takes place, is called cyberbullying.

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Sharing photos or videos of people without consent to embarrass them, make them feel bad about themselves, or enact revenge for a friendship or relationship that has broken down.
Name-calling, teasing, belittling, mocking or social exclusion.
Spreading false rumors.
Creating fake social media accounts in an individual’s name and posting outrageous statements about a peer to isolate, degrade and prank both people.
Circulating a person’s private messages sent in confidence to a group for amusement and the power of violating privacy.
Sharing a person’s videos sent in confidence with a chat group or a class to cause embarrassment and ridicule.
Sending anonymous critical, harassing or threatening messages to people to damage their self-esteem, make them doubt that their friendship group cares for them or instill a sense of not being safe.
Texting or direct-messaging explicit, unsolicited images, real, altered or fake.
Leaking an individual’s personal information such as home address or phone number to peer groups to invade privacy and encourage personal attacks.
Unsolicited forwarding to an individual hurtful or hateful comments that were made by a social peer to undermine confidence and cause conflict within a social group.
Posting mocking or spiteful comments on an individual’s social media accounts both to cause upset and to encourage other followers, usually from the same school, to join in, triggering group cyberbullying.

” } },{ “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “What is the percentage of cyberbullying?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: ““The good news is that bullying overall, including cyberbullying, tends to decline after its prevalence peaks in mid-adolescence,” affirms Dr Biggs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that cyberbullying is experienced by the highest percentage of kids in middle schools (33%) followed by high schools (30%) and primary schools (5%). Among high school students in the U.S., 1 in 6 has been cyberbullied, compared with 1 in 5 who has been bullied in person. Furthermore, for children who identify as LGBTQ+, the Cyberbullying Research Center reports that 31% experience cyberbullying versus 21% of heterosexual students.” } },{ “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “What is the difference between cyberbullying and bullying?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “Cyberbullying Facts: There are several ways that cyberbullying differs from in-person bullying:

Bullies can use anonymous or fictional identities in addition to their own identities.
Can take place 24 hours a day.
Can have an audience of hundreds or thousands or even go viral as peers share, like or comment.
Tattooed onto the internet for as long as the social media accounts of the cyberbully or cyberbullies exist, perhaps for a lifetime.
Leaves a permanent record of behaviors that can be captured and shown to parents, school staff, and counselors — or authorities if there is suspected criminality.

” } },{ “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “What are the effects of cyberbullying?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “If you were ever bullied at school, you’ll remember how quickly you felt shut out of life and how going into school each day was fraught with fear or a feeling of torture. Targets of cyberbullying are affected in much the same way as those bullied in person and can develop some or all of the following symptoms:

Difficulties sleeping.
Not wanting to go to school.
Declining academic performance.
Acting distracted at home.
Reduced self-esteem.
Feelings of not fitting in or belonging.

As the extent or longevity of bullying increase, it’s possible for more extreme reactions to occur, including:

Self-harming behaviors such as cutting or burning.
Depression.
Thoughts of dropping out of school.
Suicidal thoughts.
Suicide attempts

” } },{ “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “Why do people cyberbully?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “As with in-person bullying, bullies court popularity and power and see bullying as a means to exert influence, control friendships, and dominate classrooms and playgrounds. In making others feel small, they feel bigger. There are often familial factors behind bullying and cyberbullying, and those can include witnessing verbal or physical aggression at home, which can lead to similar behavior socially or at school. With cyberbullying, if the bully has a high number of followers on social media, the validation of likes and shares for bullying behaviors can be intoxicating and signal a formula for popularity.” } },{ “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “Is cyberbullying illegal?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “Strictly speaking, no. But if cyberbullying touches on laws around stalking, criminal online harassment or sexting that involves third-party possession or wider distribution of nude photos of minors, then authorities can be engaged. And if cyberbullying — as with in-person bullying — leads to a physical attack on the victim, then assault charges may become valid. Relative to state and federal law, schools can intervene when bullying of a student is taking place by another student or group of students, though according to Pew Research Center, only 34% of parents whose child is being cyberbullied report it to the child’s school.” } },{ “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “How can parents prevent cyberbullying?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “One can’t prevent cyberbullying. After all, it’s impossible to live screen-free in our world today. But Dr. Biggs does advocate parents helping their child divert focus toward building a healthy social circle.

“The effects of being bullied are mitigated when people have strong social support,” she explains. “Even one good-quality friendship can make a difference. If a child has this, then the child may feel able to say ‘That’s a chat group I don’t want to be part of.’ Parents can support their kids by encouraging the fostering of friendships and activities that are positive. You can even ask: ”Who do you want to surround yourself with?’ That’s a very positive coping strategy, surrounding yourself with good people.”

As well as encouraging positive friendships, parents can also help clarify context.” } }] }

What is cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying involves actions like:

Creating fake social media accounts in an individual’s name and posting outrageous statements about a peer to isolate, degrade and prank both people.
Circulating a person’s private messages sent in confidence to a group for amusement and the power of violating privacy.
Sharing a person’s videos sent in confidence with a chat group or a class to cause embarrassment and ridicule.
Leaking an individual’s personal information such as home address or phone number to peer groups to invade privacy and encourage personal attacks.
Posting mocking or spiteful comments on an individual’s social media accounts both to cause upset and to encourage other followers, usually from the same school, to join in, triggering group cyberbullying.

While cyberbullying seems at first glance different from in-person bullying, [WNJ1] experts see similarities.

“It’s the same sort of behavior,” says Bridget K. Biggs, Ph.D., L.P., a psychologist at Mayo Clinic. “Verbal aggression like name-calling, relational aggression like spreading rumors and trying to cut people out of relationships, and threatening or physical aggression — the effects are about the same, broadly speaking: lower mood, reduced self-esteem and anxiety, particularly social anxiety.”

Dr. Biggs underscores one key difference: unlike in-person bullying — unless it is caught on school security cameras — cyberbullying can be proved.

“Cyberbullying leaves a trail of indelible evidence, with the exception of disappearing message capabilities unless one can take a screenshot fast enough. But if a peer sends an unflattering or sexualized video or photo, that’s out in cyberspace forever. So there are positives and negatives to this permanence.”

What is the percentage of cyberbullying?

“The good news is that bullying overall, including cyberbullying, tends to decline after its prevalence peaks in mid-adolescence,” affirms Dr Biggs.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that cyberbullying is experienced by the highest percentage of kids in middle schools (33%) followed by high schools (30%) and primary schools (5%).

Among high school students in the U.S., 1 in 6 has been cyberbullied, compared with 1 in 5 who has been bullied in person. Furthermore, for children who identify as LGBTQ+, the Cyberbullying Research Center reports that 31% experience cyberbullying versus 21% of heterosexual students.

It’s no wonder that when Google surveyed U.S. teachers in 2019, bullying and cyberbullying headlined as their No. 1 concern.

What is the difference between cyberbullying and bullying?

Cyberbullying Facts: There are several ways that cyberbullying differs from in-person bullying:

What are the effects of cyberbullying?

If you were ever bullied at school, you’ll remember how quickly you felt shut out of life and how going into school each day was fraught with fear or a feeling of torture. Targets of cyberbullying are affected in much the same way as those bullied in person and can develop some or all of the following symptoms:

As the extent or longevity of bullying increase, it’s possible for more extreme reactions to occur, including:

Suicide attempts.

“With traditional face-to-face bullying,” says Dr. Biggs, “when you get home, you at least get a break from it. But if that social connection is also online, then you are still connected via cyberspace when you get home. Cyberspace therefore becomes just one more place to experience bullying.”

In a rare minority of cases, there have been tragic, high-profile stories of kids in the U.S. driven to suicide by cyberbullying. However, research on this subject by Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center is careful to underscore that suicide is always complex, with multifaceted drivers.

“There’s an increased risk for suicidality if a child is being bullied, yes,” Dr Biggs adds. “But note that of all the kids experiencing bullying, it’s a really small number who commit suicide. That’s important for parents to know.”

Why do people cyberbully?

As with in-person bullying, bullies court popularity and power and see bullying as a means to exert influence, control friendships, and dominate classrooms and playgrounds. In making others feel small, they feel bigger. There are often familial factors behind bullying and cyberbullying, and those can include witnessing verbal or physical aggression at home, which can lead to similar behavior socially or at school. With cyberbullying, if the bully has a high number of followers on social media, the validation of likes and shares for bullying behaviors can be intoxicating and signal a formula for popularity.

How to stop a child who is cyberbullying

Explain what cyberbullying is , how it traumatizes others and its consequences.
Set out what behaviors are unacceptable and explain that you will monitor behavior.
Praise improved behaviors and set consequences, such as limiting gaming time, if your child cyberbullies again.
Propose a meeting with administrators at your child’s school if behavior deteriorates.

Is cyberbullying illegal?

Strictly speaking, no. But if cyberbullying touches on laws around stalking, criminal online harassment or sexting that involves third-party possession or wider distribution of nude photos of minors, then authorities can be engaged. And if cyberbullying — as with in-person bullying — leads to a physical attack on the victim, then assault charges may become valid. Relative to state and federal law, schools can intervene when bullying of a student is taking place by another student or group of students, though according to Pew Research Center, only 34% of parents whose child is being cyberbullied report it to the child’s school.

How can parents prevent cyberbullying?

One can’t prevent cyberbullying. After all, it’s impossible to live screen-free in our world today. But Dr. Biggs does advocate parents helping their child divert focus toward building a healthy social circle.

As well as encouraging positive friendships, parents can also help clarify context.

“With cyberbullying,” Dr Biggs says, “if children show you a message that upsets them, which the cyberbully is calling a joke, you might say something like, ‘Well I didn’t find that very funny — I suggest you shrug it off and don’t engage, because this person just wants to pull you in.’ “

Dr. Biggs, a mother of two herself, sees conversations about cyberbullying as just another part of teaching children about online safety.

“Start having conversations about safe behaviors online as soon as your kid begins using technology. That shouldn’t be one conversation; it should be ongoing. You need to talk about phishing, scamming, people who may say they’re somebody but they’re actually somebody else and what information is safe to provide. And you should warn that there are people who do mean things online who might also do mean things in person. If kids already have that awareness, then when it happens, they can think, ‘I remember, a safe adult told me about that and predicted that this is something that could happen.’ “

Overall, though, Dr Biggs advises a delicate balance of supervision and distance.

“Not helicopter parenting and not letting them fly the helicopter,” she says. “Kids are more likely to use the internet safely and positively when their parents pay attention to what they are doing, provide guidance and set limits around use — but also allow some choice, input and autonomous decision-making, all while keeping the lines of communication open between themselves and their kids. It seems that providing some education about the benefits and dangers of the internet — including the possibility of aggression occurring in digital platforms — is beneficial. As with other responsibilities, it makes sense to ease restrictions and allow greater autonomy and choice as kids get older and as they demonstrate their ability to use the resource responsibly.”

How kids can limit their exposure to cyberbullying

Never respond unless a parent encourages you to assert a clear boundary and take a screenshot of your request — for example, “Please stop saying these things to me,” “I don’t want you to treat me this way” — so it can be used as evidence of online harassment, if needed.
Take a screenshot of all hostilities to establish a record of evidence.
Show a parent the messages or comments and talk it over.
Block and report cyberbullies on social media if doing so won’t inflame an already difficult situation.
If your parents agree, arrange a discrete meeting with a teacher.
Use privacy settings to protect personal posts on social media from being accessed by strangers.
Wait for at least 60 minutes before acting on an impulse to share sensitive photos, videos or information with a peer.
Have designated digital-free time each day .

The future of cyberbullying

Because it is next to impossible to live in a device-free world while growing up nowadays, parents may fear that nothing can stop their child being cyberbullied. However, Dr. Biggs cites one effective peer-to-peer method that does work: upstanding.

“Upstanding is when witnesses speak up and communicate that aggression is not acceptable and that treating others with respect is socially desirable or ‘cool,’ ” Dr Biggs says. “That does reduce bullying.”

There are also small poignant ways parents can reduce bullying of any type though, as Dr Biggs concludes:

“I heard of a parent responding to news that her child had been bullying another child on the bus. She told her son that she had heard that bullying had been happening — without indicating that she knew who was doing it — and asked him to look out for the child, as she knew that child to be a kind and responsible person. The bullying stopped.”

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Cyberbullying: Everything You Need to Know

Cyberbullying
How to Respond

Cyberbullying is the act of intentionally and consistently mistreating or harassing someone through the use of electronic devices or other forms of electronic communication (like social media platforms).

Because cyberbullying mainly affects children and adolescents, many brush it off as a part of growing up. However, cyberbullying can have dire mental and emotional consequences if left unaddressed.

This article discusses cyberbullying, its adverse effects, and what can be done about it.

FangXiaNuo / Getty Images

Cyberbullying Statistics and State Laws

The rise of digital communication methods has paved the way for a new type of bullying to form, one that takes place outside of the schoolyard. Cyberbullying follows kids home, making it much more difficult to ignore or cope.

Statistics

As many as 15% of young people between 12 and 18 have been cyberbullied at some point. However, over 25% of children between 13 and 15 were cyberbullied in one year alone.

About 6.2% of people admitted that they’ve engaged in cyberbullying at some point in the last year. The age at which a person is most likely to cyberbully one of their peers is 13.

Those subject to online bullying are twice as likely to self-harm or attempt suicide . The percentage is much higher in young people who identify as LGBTQ, at 56%.

Cyberbullying by Sex and Sexual Orientation

Cyberbullying statistics differ among various groups, including:

Girls and boys reported similar numbers when asked if they have been cyberbullied, at 23.7% and 21.9%, respectively.
LGBTQ adolescents report cyberbullying at higher rates, at 31.7%. Up to 56% of young people who identify as LGBTQ have experienced cyberbullying.
Transgender teens were the most likely to be cyberbullied, at a significantly high rate of 35.4%.

State Laws

The laws surrounding cyberbullying vary from state to state. However, all 50 states have developed and implemented specific policies or laws to protect children from being cyberbullied in and out of the classroom.

The laws were put into place so that students who are being cyberbullied at school can have access to support systems, and those who are being cyberbullied at home have a way to report the incidents.

Legal policies or programs developed to help stop cyberbullying include:

Bullying prevention programs
Cyberbullying education courses for teachers
Procedures designed to investigate instances of cyberbullying
Support systems for children who have been subject to cyberbullying

Are There Federal Laws Against Cyberbullying?

There are no federal laws or policies that protect people from cyberbullying. However, federal involvement may occur if the bullying overlaps with harassment. Federal law will get involved if the bullying concerns a person’s race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, disability, or religion.

Examples of Cyberbullying

There are several types of bullying that can occur online, and they all look different.

Harassment can include comments, text messages, or threatening emails designed to make the cyberbullied person feel scared, embarrassed, or ashamed of themselves.

Other forms of harassment include:

Using group chats as a way to gang up on one person
Making derogatory comments about a person based on their race, gender, sexual orientation, economic status, or other characteristics
Posting mean or untrue things on social media sites, such as Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, as a way to publicly hurt the person experiencing the cyberbullying

Impersonation

A person may try to pretend to be the person they are cyberbullying to attempt to embarrass, shame, or hurt them publicly. Some examples of this include:

Hacking into someone’s online profile and changing any part of it, whether it be a photo or their "About Me" portion, to something that is either harmful or inappropriate
Catfishing, which is when a person creates a fake persona to trick someone into a relationship with them as a joke or for their own personal gain
Making a fake profile using the screen name of their target to post inappropriate or rude remarks on other people’s pages

Other Examples

Not all forms of cyberbullying are the same, and cyberbullies use other tactics to ensure that their target feels as bad as possible. Some tactics include:

Taking nude or otherwise degrading photos of a person without their consent
Sharing or posting nude pictures with a wide audience to embarrass the person they are cyberbullying
Sharing personal information about a person on a public website that could cause them to feel unsafe
Physically bullying someone in school and getting someone else to record it so that it can be watched and passed around later
Circulating rumors about a person

How to Know When a Joke Turns Into Cyberbullying

People may often try to downplay cyberbullying by saying it was just a joke. However, any incident that continues to make a person feel shame, hurt, or blatantly disrespected is not a joke and should be addressed. People who engage in cyberbullying tactics know that they’ve crossed these boundaries, from being playful to being harmful.

Effects and Consequences of Cyberbullying

Research shows many negative effects of cyberbullying, some of which can lead to severe mental health issues. Cyberbullied people are twice as likely to experience suicidal thoughts, actions, or behaviors and engage in self-harm as those who are not.

Other negative health consequences of cyberbullying are:

Stomach pain and digestive issues
Sleep disturbances
Difficulties with academics
Violent behaviors
High levels of stress
Inability to feel safe
Feelings of loneliness and isolation
Feelings of powerlessness and hopelessness

If You’ve Been Cyberbullied

Being on the receiving end of cyberbullying is hard to cope with. It can feel like you have nowhere to turn and no escape. However, some things can be done to help overcome cyberbullying experiences.

Advice for Preteens and Teenagers

The best thing you can do if you’re being cyberbullied is tell an adult you trust. It may be challenging to start the conversation because you may feel ashamed or embarrassed. However, if it is not addressed, it can get worse.

Other ways you can cope with cyberbullying include:

Walk away : Walking away online involves ignoring the bullies, stepping back from your computer or phone, and finding something you enjoy doing to distract yourself from the bullying.
Don’t retaliate : You may want to defend yourself at the time. But engaging with the bullies can make matters worse.
Keep evidence : Save all copies of the cyberbullying, whether it be posts, texts, or emails, and keep them if the bullying escalates and you need to report them.
Report : Social media sites take harassment seriously, and reporting them to site administrators may block the bully from using the site.
Block : You can block your bully from contacting you on social media platforms and through text messages.

In some cases, therapy may be a good option to help cope with the aftermath of cyberbullying.

Advice for Parents

As a parent, watching your child experience cyberbullying can be difficult. To help in the right ways, you can:

Offer support and comfort : Listening to your child explain what's happening can be helpful. If you've experienced bullying as a child, sharing that experience may provide some perspective on how it can be overcome and that the feelings don't last forever.
Make sure they know they are not at fault : Whatever the bully uses to target your child can make them feel like something is wrong with them. Offer praise to your child for speaking up and reassure them that it's not their fault.
Contact the school : Schools have policies to protect children from bullying, but to help, you have to inform school officials.
Keep records : Ask your child for all the records of the bullying and keep a copy for yourself. This evidence will be helpful to have if the bullying escalates and further action needs to be taken.
Try to get them help : In many cases, cyberbullying can lead to mental stress and sometimes mental health disorders. Getting your child a therapist gives them a safe place to work through their experience.

In the Workplace

Although cyberbullying more often affects children and adolescents, it can also happen to adults in the workplace. If you are dealing with cyberbullying at your workplace, you can:

Let your bully know how what they said affected you and that you expect it to stop.
Keep copies of any harassment that goes on in the workplace.
Report your cyberbully to your human resources (HR) department.
Report your cyberbully to law enforcement if you are being threatened.
Close off all personal communication pathways with your cyberbully.
Maintain a professional attitude at work regardless of what is being said or done.
Seek out support through friends, family, or professional help.

Effective Action Against Cyberbullying

If cyberbullying continues, actions will have to be taken to get it to stop, such as:

Talking to a school official : Talking to someone at school may be difficult, but once you do, you may be grateful that you have some support. Schools have policies to address cyberbullying.
Confide in parents or trusted friends : Discuss your experience with your parents or others you trust. Having support on your side will make you feel less alone.
Report it on social media : Social media sites have strict rules on the types of interactions and content sharing allowed. Report your aggressor to the site to get them banned and eliminate their ability to contact you.
Block the bully : Phones, computers, and social media platforms contain options to block correspondence from others. Use these blocking tools to help free yourself from cyberbullying.

Help Is Available

If you or someone you know are having suicidal thoughts, dial 988 to contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and connect with a trained counselor. To find mental health resources in your area, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 800-662-4357 for information.

Cyberbullying occurs over electronic communication methods like cell phones, computers, social media, and other online platforms. While anyone can be subject to cyberbullying, it is most likely to occur between the ages of 12 and 18.

Cyberbullying can be severe and lead to serious health issues, such as new or worsened mental health disorders, sleep issues, or thoughts of suicide or self-harm. There are laws to prevent cyberbullying, so it's essential to report it when it happens. Coping strategies include stepping away from electronics, blocking bullies, and getting.

Alhajji M, Bass S, Dai T. Cyberbullying, mental health, and violence in adolescents and associations with sex and race: data from the 2015 youth risk behavior survey . Glob Pediatr Health. 2019;6:2333794X19868887. doi:10.1177/2333794X19868887

Cyberbullying Research Center. Cyberbullying in 2021 by age, gender, sexual orientation, and race .

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: StopBullying.gov. Facts about bullying .

John A, Glendenning AC, Marchant A, et al. Self-harm, suicidal behaviours, and cyberbullying in children and young people: systematic review . J Med Internet Res . 2018;20(4):e129. doi:10.2196/jmir.9044

Cyberbullying Research Center. Bullying, cyberbullying, and LGBTQ students .

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: StopBullying.gov. Laws, policies, and regulations .

Wolke D, Lee K, Guy A. Cyberbullying: a storm in a teacup? . Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2017;26(8):899-908. doi:10.1007/s00787-017-0954-6

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: StopBullying.gov. Cyberbullying tactics .

Garett R, Lord LR, Young SD. Associations between social media and cyberbullying: a review of the literature . mHealth . 2016;2:46-46. doi:10.21037/mhealth.2016.12.01

Nemours Teens Health. Cyberbullying .

Nixon CL. Current perspectives: the impact of cyberbullying on adolescent health . Adolesc Health Med Ther. 2014;5:143-58. doi:10.2147/AHMT.S36456

Nemours Kids Health. Cyberbullying (for parents) .

By Angelica Bottaro Bottaro has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and an Advanced Diploma in Journalism. She is based in Canada.

How to Stop Cyberbullying

Subscribe to the center for technology innovation newsletter, joshua bleiberg joshua bleiberg assistant professor - university of pittsburgh @joshbleiberg.

October 22, 2014

The Internet has transformed how we interact with our peers. Teenagers interact with each other at a furious pace through social networks and apps, which has increased concerns about the safety of these online activities. Online bullying, or cyberbullying is one of the most significant of the problems that can result. Adina Farrukh, Rebecca Sadwick, and John Villasenor explore cyberbullying, the measures taken to prevent it, and the relevant research in a new paper titled Youth Internet Safety: Risks, Responses, and Research Recommendations .

The Cyberbully

A cyberbully shares much in common with his or her offline counterparts. Both exploit power imbalances to harass their victim. Several factors make cyberbullying even worse than what parents may have experienced in their youth. The potential to be anonymous on the Internet emboldens bullies and enables behavior that might not occur otherwise. Online bullies also have greater power because of their easy access to a large audience via social media platforms. The Internet makes it simple for teenagers to bully each other.

Tips to Prevent Cyberbullying

Encourage teenagers to appropriately limit what they post online.
Victims of cyberbullying should change their online accounts in order to prevent further harassment.
Parents and other adults responsible for the safety of teenagers should get involved by appropriate monitoring of online activities. Teaching appropriate online behaviors to teens is also important.

The Role of Research in Combatting Cyberbullying

In order to effectively protect young people on the Internet from cyberbullying Farrukh and her co-authors make a number of important recommendations. Among other things, they recommend a change in the way researchers examine the subject. In their work they propose a longitudinal survey method based on standardized definitions. How research uses the term “bullying” varies from study to study. This creates gaps and inconsistencies in the research and makes it less actionable for parents and policy makers. Remedying this issue would be the first step to producing more precise information about cyberbullying. The researchers also argue that future studies must address how teens use mobile devices. Currently, not enough is understood about what it takes to keep teenagers safe online. Research can help to settle any questions about the strategies parents can use to protect their children.

Matt Mariano contributed to this post

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How to Prevent Cyberbullying

Verywell / Jiaqi Zhou

Cyberbullying is a growing social problem that has become all too common in online communities. Research indicates that one in five tweens has been cyberbullied, while 59% of teens have been harassed online. And the rate at which online bullying is occurring does not seem to be declining.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, cyberbullying escalated . During stay-at-home orders, research shows cyberbullying increased 70% and toxicity on online gaming platforms increased 40%.

These numbers illustrate that despite increased education and improved school bullying prevention programs , incidences of cyberbullying continue to escalate. So parents need to do what they can to prevent cyberbullying in their kids' lives.

Why Prevention Is Important

Cyberbullying is deliberately and repeatedly inflicting harm using electronic devices, gaming apps, and online social media platforms. It often manifests as hate accounts, hurtful social media posts, online rumors and gossip , and mean comments while gaming. The intention is almost always to embarrass, threaten, humiliate, intimidate, or abuse the intended target.

Research has shown that those who are cyberbullied suffer a number of different consequences , including struggling emotionally, physically, mentally, and academically. What's more, cyberbullying is a significant stressor in a young person's life. Cyberbullying leaves young people feeling hurt, embarrassed, and sometimes even scared.

Not only do they often blame themselves for the torment and harassment they experience, but they also are left feeling extremely stressed out. In fact, one study found that nearly 35% of those targeted by cyberbullies reported symptoms of stress.

Kids targeted by cyberbullies also may experience physical symptoms in response to the stress they are experiencing. They may complain of stomachaches, headaches, skin conditions, and other physical ailments.

Kids' sleeping and eating habits can be impacted by cyberbullying. Sometimes kids who are cyberbullied will crash diet or binge eat as either a way of coping with the cyberbullying or as an attempt to alter the way they look in hopes the cyberbullying will end.

Grades and extracurricular activities may also suffer as a result of harassment. Teens may skip school or have trouble concentrating on their studies because cyberbullying is consuming all of their time and energy.

It's also not uncommon for cyberbullying victims to feel alone and isolated. Many kids who are targeted report being ostracized at school . This experience, in turn, impacts their self-esteem and feelings of self-worth. Ultimately, cyberbullying can lead to self-harm and even suicidal thoughts.

When kids are regularly harassed by others through social media posts, text messages, instant messaging, and blog posts, they can start to feel hopeless. They may start to think that the only way to escape the torment is through suicide. Because the risks associated with cyberbullying are so significant, it's important that parents take steps to prevent cyberbullying in their kids' lives.

If your tween or teen is having suicidal thoughts, they can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If they are in immediate danger, call 911.

Ways to Manage Cyberbullying

While there is no foolproof way to prevent your child from ever being cyberbullied, there are things you can do together to reduce the likelihood they will be targeted. This includes implementing safety measures as well as having ongoing conversations about cyberbullying. You need to discuss what cyberbullying is, the risks associated with experiencing it, and how it can escalate.

It's also important to talk to your tweens and teens about how to use social media safely and responsibly and what they should do if they are bullied online.

Protect Accounts and Devices

When it comes to preventing cyberbullying, and similar behaviors like catfishing , it's important that your child use passwords on everything. Passwords are one of the most effective ways to protect accounts and devices.

Emphasize that your child should never share their passwords with anyone, including their best friend. Even though they may trust that friend implicitly, the reality is that friends come and go and there is no guarantee they are going to be friends forever.

Use Privacy Tools and Settings

No matter what your teen does online, make sure they are aware of the privacy settings and tools offered by the organization. Almost every social media platform including Instagram , Twitter, SnapChat , and TikTok have privacy settings.

Go through each account with your child and help them set their privacy settings to the most secure settings. This means making accounts private, preventing people from tagging them, requiring other people to get permission before sharing one of their photos, and so on.

Keep Personal Stuff Private

Kids should never share their address, cell phone number, or email address online. They should be careful about sharing too much information about where they go to school, especially if they have friends or followers online that they don't know really well.

Remind them that people are not always who they claim to be online. Even though the profile photo is of a teenage girl, that doesn't mean the person behind the account is actually a teenage girl. It could be someone pretending to be a young girl in order to gather information on other teens.

Manage Location Sharing

Some smartphones allow users to share their location with friends. This means that if they share their location with people, these people will always know where they are. Have a discussion with your child about who they can share their location with or if they can share it at all.

Likewise, some photos taken with smartphones already contain geotags that indicate where the photo was taken. People can use these photos to determine your child's location, even if they never mention where the photo was taken.

Your child needs to be mindful about which photos they are sharing and when. For instance, you may want them to refrain from posting vacation pictures until you have returned from vacation. This way, you are not letting the entire online world know that no one is at your home for the next two weeks.

Teach Them to Think Before Posting

Help your tweens and teens get in the habit of taking some time before posting. For instance, they could create a post offline and then come back to it in an hour and decide if they still want to post it. Doing so will keep them from posting things that they may later regret.

Cyberbullies may take what your child posted and use it against them in some way, so it might be helpful to encourage your child to take time to think before posting. Of course, if someone wants to use something against them, it won't necessarily matter what the content is.

But by taking their time to craft a post, your child will be able to think through what they are posting and determine whether or not it's something they want to say publicly. This is a good practice for kids in order to maintain a healthy relationship with social media.

You also need to teach your tween or teen how to practice digital etiquette . Using social media and other online tools is a privilege, not a right, and one that can be taken away if they are unable to use it responsibly.

Conduct a Social Media Audit

Every month or so, sit down with your tween or teen and go through their social media accounts. Together, determine what posts may need to be deleted from their account. This exercise is especially important as they prepare to apply to college or look for a new job.

Many times, college recruiters and hiring managers will look through an applicant's social media accounts to get a feel for their personality and character. Together along with your teen, be sure your teen's posts and photos are sending the message they want others to receive.

Log Out When Using Public Devices

Remind your tween or teen that when they are using public computers or laptops at school or the library, they should log out of any account they use. This includes logging out of email, social media accounts, their school account, Amazon account, and any other account they may open.

Simply closing the tab is not enough. If someone gets on the computer immediately after they are done, they may still be able to get into your child's account. And once they have access, they can take control of that account by changing passwords.

Once they have control, they can impersonate your child online by making fake posts and comments that make your child look bad. Plus, once you lose access to an account, it can be difficult and time-consuming to regain control.

Refuse to Respond to Cyberbullies

If your child does experience cyberbullying, they should refrain from responding. This means they should not argue, try to explain, or engage in any way with a cyberbully.

Cyberbullies are looking for an emotional response, but if your child refuses to give them anything to go on, they are left with one-sided communications.

In the meantime, they should take screenshots of the harassment and save it as proof of the encounter. This documentation may be needed when reporting a cyberbully.

Report Cyberbullies

Make sure your child knows that they should always report cyberbullying. This includes not only telling you what is happening, but also letting the social media platform, internet service provider, and any other necessary parties know what is going on. You may even need to contact the school or the police to put an end to the harassment.

Once all the reports have been filed, take the appropriate steps to block the person or account responsible for the cyberbullying. Doing so doesn't prevent them from using a different account or a public space to continue to cyberbully your tween or teen, but it will slow them down.

Teens also should learn to be good bystanders too. If they witness cyberbullying online, they should refrain from participating in the cyberbullying and instead look for ways to support the person being targeted. They should also report what they witness online to a responsible adult like you, a teacher, or a principal—especially if they know who is doing the cyberbullying.

More often than not, kids are cyberbullied by people they know from their school or their community. So standing up for the person being targeted can help prevent future cyberbullying incidents, especially if the cyberbully is not getting the reaction they want.

A Word From Verywell

Whether you are looking to protect your child as they embark on the online world or they have already experienced cyberbullying, it is never too late (or too early) to implement strategies to prevent cyberbullying. Even college students and young adults can benefit from added safety measures.

Sit down with your kids and strategize how they can not only use online tools safely, but also how they can protect themselves from trolls , cyberbullies, and other toxic people online. You should also talk to them about what steps to take if they are cyberbullied, including how to report cyberbullying to the appropriate authorities.

And remember, technology and the internet are not the issue. It's the people who use it to harm others that are the real problem. Try to refrain from taking away technology or limiting your child's access to online tools. Instead, teach them how to use these tools safely and responsibly. Doing so will benefit them for the rest of their lives.

Cyberbullying Research Center in Partnership With Cartoon Network. Tween cyberbullying in 2020 .

Pew Research Center. A majority of teens have experienced some form of cyberbullying .

L1ght. Rising levels of hate speech & online toxicity during this time of crisis .

Nixon CL. Current perspectives: the impact of cyberbullying on adolescent health . Adolesc Health Med Ther . 2014;5:143-58. doi:10.2147/AHMT.S36456

Extremera N, Quintana-Orts C, Mérida-López S, Rey L. Cyberbullying victimization, self-esteem and suicidal ideation in adolescence: does emotional intelligence play a buffering role? . Front Psychol . 2018;9:367. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00367

Alavi N, Reshetukha T, Prost E, et al. Relationship between bullying and suicidal behaviour in youth presenting to the emergency department . JdCan Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry . 2017;26(2):70-77.

By Sherri Gordon Sherri Gordon, CLC is a published author, certified professional life coach, and bullying prevention expert.

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What Is Cyberbullying How To Prevent

Cyberbullying: What is It and How to Prevent It?

On September 22, 2010, Tyler Clementi, an 18-year-old freshman at Rutgers University in New Jersey, leaped to his death off of the George Washington Bridge in New York after his roommate secretly videotaped a romantic encounter between Clementi and another man and posted it on the web. (Littler, 2011)

January 14, 2010, after yet another day of harassment at school and finally being pelted with a can tossed at her from a car as a group of students drove by, 15-year-old Phoebe Prince hanged herself in the stairwell of the family's apartment in South Hadley, Massachusetts. After her death, a Facebook tribute page in her memory had many crude comments posted by the bullies. (Vijay D, 2010)

Thirteen-year-old Megan Meier committed suicide in October of 2006 after a 16-year-old online friend, "Josh Evans" sent disparaging messages, humiliated her, and finally broke off the friendship commenting that "…the world would be a better place without you." Despondent, Megan hanged herself 20 minutes later in her bedroom. "Josh Evans" was later discovered to be a fictional account set up by the mother of Megan's former friend who created the ruse to get information about Megan and embarrass her in retribution for Megan allegedly spreading gossip about her daughter. (Littler, 2011)

In October 2008, 16-year-old Sladjana Vidovic tied a rope around her neck and the other end of it to her bed post and killed herself by jumping out of her window. Sladjana, who had moved to Ohio from Bosnia when she was a young girl, had been tormented by bullies at her school who mocked her thick accent, called her names like "Slutty Jana" and threw food at her. Shockingly, at her wake, the girls who had tormented Sladjana for months walked up to her casket and laughed. Sladjana's family witnessed this. Possibly more shocking is the fact that Sladjana's suicide was the fourth suicide in slightly more than 2 years in the small Ohio suburb. All four were bullied for perceived differences-one was bullied for being gay, the second for her learning disability, and the third because he was a boy who liked to wear pink. (Nuss, 2010)

Ryan Patrick Halligan, of Essex Junction, Vermont, committed suicide when he was 13 after repeated bullying from his classmates at school and cyberbullying. Because Ryan was small in stature and had a learning disability, he may have felt more secure in an online environment until other schoolchildren figured out who he was online and began tormenting him through instant messenger. (Littler, 2011)

Bullying Becomes Nonstop

Bullying is not a new behavior-as long as there have been schoolyards, streets, malls, and playgrounds both in and out of schools, there has been bullying. But now, in our cyber-age society, bullying has taken a much more pervasive role. While in the past, victims of bullying might have been able to at least find some relief at home or away from the playground and schoolyards, technology has provided the opportunity for bullying to be a 24/7 torment. Cyberbullying (bullying and intimidation through online media such as texting, social networking, blogs, and emails) has now made bullying more insidious as it's crept from the public forum of schoolyards and other hangouts where teachers and parents might have a chance at witnessing it, to laptops and cell phones, where it's less likely to be seen by responsible adults or caring parents. Cyberbullying also always involves minors (children). Once adults are involved in online harassment or intimidation, it is referred to as cyber harassment or cyber stalking. While not all cyberbullying results in suicide, it often can lead to self-destructive behaviors such as alcohol and drug abuse in response to the stress and depression caused by cyberbullying and some cases have even resulted in children killing each other. (WiredKids, Inc)

It's hard to believe that no responsible adults were aware of how these children were suffering or that no one spoke up to help them. In fact, Sladjana's parents were aware of the bullying and had begged the school to intervene many times and were promised the situation would be taken care of. However, it can be very difficult for schools to get involved with addressing cyberbullying incidents that often take place off of the school grounds, or at the very least, it's hard to prove that the bullying did occur during school hours and at school. Issues of freedom of speech and exceeding the school's authority come into play. (WiredKids, Inc.) However, it's clear that this is an issue that can have such serious consequences that both schools and parents must partner to address.

What Schools Can Do

There are steps that schools can take to address the issue of cyberbullying, and first and foremost is to promote a culture of mutual respect and a tolerance or appreciation for diversity. Schools can provide information to students about the legal ramifications of cyberbullying as well as make it a part of the school's policy and student code of conduct with regard to the use of technology and appropriate and respectful interactions that do not compromise the physical, emotional health of students, with specific consequences detailed. (WiredKids, Inc.). Educating children about the possible negative effects of posting personal information online and providing training about how to remove personal information that shouldn't be online can alleviate opportunities for cyberbullying attacks.

It's important for both children and teens to understand exactly what cyberbullying is and how it can affect others. While most kids are pretty clear on what typical bullying behavior might be, they need to understand that any type of online behavior, whether through websites, emails, texting, blogs, or other comments, that can be hurtful to another person's reputation or self esteem is considered cyberbullying. A lot of kids may not even consider cyberbullying as bullying until they fully understand how it can affect the other person. (Langholt, 2011) But, as these real-life cases above have shown us, cyberbullying can be infinitely more painful than the physical wounds of actual physical bullying.

What is Considered Cyberbullying?

Some students may not even realize that the behaviors they are engaging in fall within the scope of cyberbullying, especially if their initial motivations are to be funny or joking. However, the following are all forms of cyberbulling: starting online fights with aggressive or offensive language that will rile people up and ignite mean conversations, repeatedly harassing others, making demeaning comments, posting gossip, or purposefully trying to exclude someone from an online group to hurt them. Likewise impersonating someone else in order to create trouble or embarrass someone as well as revealing humiliating secrets or information online are forms of bullying (Langholt, 2011).

Parents and Schools as Partners Against Cyberbullying

Integrating specific lessons on what cyberbullying is, the devastating effects it can have, and what to do if one observes or is a victim of cyberbullying are important first steps for schools to add to their curriculum. Creating very specific policies and student codes of conduct that address technology use and abuse (both in and out of school) as well as creating a culture of respect and tolerance can have important positive effects. Ensuring that students and parents understand that the school does take an active role and interest in preventing cyberbullying and will respond swiftly and severely with incidents of cyberbullying can also help to bring cyberbullying to light. Parent education sessions can also help parents note signs of cyberbullying victims and cyberbullies so that they can be aware of appropriate responses to avoid over- or underreact. Taking the time to teach cyber ethics, involving school counselors when necessary, and addressing and resolving reports of cyberbullying quickly and immediately can make it less likely for repeated incidents. (Shangkuan Koo, 2011)

New Jersey's Stand-Setting the Stage for Others

A school's free will in determining its level of involvement with the cyberbullying issue may be quickly coming to an end. On September 1, 2011, New Jersey affected a new anti-bullying law, called the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights as a response to the death of Tyler Clementi. This law is considered by some to be the toughest in the nation. According to New Jersey State Senate majority leader Barbara Buono, it is "a powerful message to every child in New Jersey" that any child bullied has the full support of the state, his/her school administrators and teachers, as well as the police because this law requires schools to thoroughly investigate any allegations of bullying within one day of reporting. In addition, the law will require comprehensive training for teachers and students, the creation of teams of support made up of both parents and teachers to investigate claims of bullying, and provides accountability to schools as they will be assessed on how well they handle bullying issues. This new tougher bullying law will require the disciplining of any administrators who ignore reported claims of bullying and students who are found guilty of bullying can be suspended or expelled. Likewise, all school employees must take an active role in protecting students from bullying as they are required to report any incidents they hear about, whether they happen at school or outside the school setting. (Friedman, 2011)

New Jersey has the right idea, and while 47 other states also have some form of anti-bullying laws, most do not require the extensive training and curriculum for education about bullying and do not provide for the immediate response to reported issues. The state of New Jersey has recognized the growing crisis of bullying (both cyberbullying and the traditional form) and is no longer willing to accept its devastating effects. At last, victims of bullying need not suffer in silence, but instead are supported and heard and, in some cases, this can be the difference between life and death.

Cohen, A. (2011, Sept. 6). Why New Jersey's antibullying law should be a model . Retrieved from Time at http://ideas.time.com/2011/09/06/why-new-jerseys-antibullying-law-should-be-a-model-for-other-states/

Friedman, M. (2011, Jan. 6). Governor Christie signs 'Anti-Bullying Bill of Right.' Retrieved Sept. 2011 from NJ.Com at http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/01/gov_christie_signs_anti-bullyi.html

Langholt, A. Dealing with online bullying. Retrieved Sept. 2011 from Life123 at http://www.life123.com/parenting/tweens-teens/bullying/online-bullying.shtml

Littler, C. (2011, Feb). 8 Infamous cases of cyber-bullying. Retrieved from Koldcast Blog at http://blog.koldcast.tv/2011/koldcast-news/8-infamous-cases-of-cyber-bullying/

Nuss, J. (2010, Oct. 8). Families Sue Ohio School After Four Bullied Teens Die by their Own Hand. Retrieved Sept. 2011 from http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/10/08/ohio-school-bullied-teens-dead-hand/

Shangkuan Koo, G. (2011, Aug. 21). Bullying can ruin children's lives. Retrieved Sept. 2011 from Philippine Daily Inquirer at http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/45425/bullying-can-ruin-children%e2%80%99s-lives

Today 24News. (2010, July 23). Phoebe Prince's Suicide: Cause of death revealed . Retrieved Sept. 2011 from http://today24news.com/offbeat/phoebe-princes-suicide-cause-of-death-revealed-232219

WiredKids, Inc. Stop Cyberbullying website. Retrieved Sept. 2011 from http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/index2.html

About the Author

Ludmila Battista, MA, Faculty, Educational Studies Department, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences

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Cyberbullying: what is it and how to stop it, 10 things teens want to know about cyberbullying..

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“What would you like to know about cyberbullying?” We posed this question to young people and received thousands of responses from around the world.

We brought together UNICEF specialists, international cyberbullying and child protection experts, and teamed up with Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to answer the questions and give their advice on ways to deal with online bullying.

What is cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is bullying with the use of digital technologies. It can take place on social media, messaging platforms, gaming platforms and mobile phones. It is repeated behaviour, aimed at scaring, angering or shaming those who are targeted. Examples include:

spreading lies about or posting embarrassing photos of someone on social media
sending hurtful messages or threats via messaging platforms
impersonating someone and sending mean messages to others on their behalf.

Face-to-face bullying and cyberbullying can often happen alongside each other. But cyberbullying leaves a digital footprint – a record that can prove useful and provide evidence to help stop the abuse.

If you are worried about your safety or something that has happened to you online, urgently speak to an adult you trust. Or visit Child Helpline International to find help in your country.

COVID-19 update: The global coronavirus pandemic poses it's own challenges to the safety and well-being of children, especially those that are out of school. Visit the coronavirus (COVID-19) information center to know more.

The top 10 questions on cyberbullying

1. Am I being bullied online? How do you tell the difference between a joke and bullying? 2. What are the effects of cyberbullying? 3. Who should I talk to if someone is bullying me online? Why is reporting important? 4. I’m experiencing cyberbullying, but I’m afraid to talk to my parents about it. How can I approach them? 5. How can I help my friends report a case of cyberbullying especially if they don’t want to do it? 6. How do we stop cyberbullying without giving up access to the internet? 7. How do I prevent my personal information from being used to manipulate or humiliate me on social media? 8. Is there a punishment for cyberbullying? 9. Internet companies don’t seem to care about online bullying and harassment. Are they being held responsible? 10. Are there any online anti-bullying tools for children or young people?

1. Am I being bullied online? How do you tell the difference between a joke and bullying?

Unicef: .

All friends joke around with each other, but sometimes it’s hard to tell if someone is just having fun or trying to hurt you, especially online. Sometimes they’ll laugh it off with a “just kidding,” or “don’t take it so seriously.”

But if you feel hurt or think others are laughing at you instead of with you, then the joke has gone too far. If it continues even after you’ve asked the person to stop and you are still feeling upset about it, then this could be bullying.

And when the bullying takes place online, it can result in unwanted attention from a wide range of people including strangers. Wherever it may happen, if you are not happy about it, you should not have to stand for it.

Call it what you will – if you feel bad and it doesn’t stop, then it’s worth getting help. Stopping cyberbullying is not just about calling out bullies, it’s also about recognizing that everyone deserves respect – online and in real life.

> Back to top

2. What are the effects of cyberbullying?

When bullying happens online it can feel as if you’re being attacked everywhere, even inside your own home. It can seem like there’s no escape. The effects can last a long time and affect a person in many ways:

Mentally — feeling upset, embarrassed, stupid, even angry
Emotionally — feeling ashamed or losing interest in the things you love
Physically — tired (loss of sleep), or experiencing symptoms like stomach aches and headaches

The feeling of being laughed at or harassed by others, can prevent people from speaking up or trying to deal with the problem. In extreme cases, cyberbullying can even lead to people taking their own lives.

Cyberbullying can affect us in many ways. But these can be overcome and people can regain their confidence and health.

3. Who should I talk to if someone is bullying me online? Why is reporting important?

If you think you’re being bullied, the first step is to seek help from someone you trust such as your parents, a close family member or another trusted adult.

In your school you can reach out to a counsellor, the sports coach or your favourite teacher.

And if you are not comfortable talking to someone you know, search for a helpline in your country to talk to a professional counsellor.

If the bullying is happening on a social platform, consider blocking the bully and formally reporting their behaviour on the platform itself. Social media companies are obligated to keep their users safe.

It can be helpful to collect evidence – text messages and screen shots of social media posts – to show what’s been going on.

For bullying to stop, it needs to be identified and reporting it is key. It can also help to show the bully that their behaviour is unacceptable.

If you are in immediate danger, then you should contact the police or emergency services in your country.

4. I’m experiencing cyberbullying, but I’m afraid to talk to my parents about it. How can I approach them?

If you are experiencing cyberbullying, speaking to a trusted adult – someone you feel safe talking to – is one of the most important first steps you can take.

Talking to parents isn’t easy for everyone. But there are things you can do to help the conversation. Choose a time to talk when you know you have their full attention. Explain how serious the problem is for you. Remember, they might not be as familiar with technology as you are, so you might need to help them to understand what’s happening.

They might not have instant answers for you, but they are likely to want to help and together you can find a solution. Two heads are always better than one! If you are still unsure about what to do, consider reaching out to other trusted people . There are often more people who care about you and are willing to help than you might think!

5. How can I help my friends report a case of cyberbullying especially if they don’t want to do it?

Anyone can become a victim of cyberbullying. If you see this happening to someone you know, try to offer support.

It is important to listen to your friend. Why don’t they want to report being cyberbullied? How are they feeling? Let them know that they don’t have to formally report anything, but it’s crucial to talk to someone who might be able to help.

Remember, your friend may be feeling fragile. Be kind to them. Help them think through what they might say and to whom. Offer to go with them if they decide to report. Most importantly, remind them that you’re there for them and you want to help.

If your friend still does not want to report the incident, then support them in finding a trusted adult who can help them deal with the situation. Remember that in certain situations the consequences of cyberbullying can be life threatening.

Doing nothing can leave the person feeling that everyone is against them or that nobody cares. Your words can make a difference.

Anyone can become a victim of cyberbullying.

Facebook/Instagram:

We know that it can be hard to report someone. But, it’s never OK to bully anyone.

Reporting content to Facebook or Instagram can help us better keep you safe on our platforms. Bullying and harassment are highly personal by nature, so in many instances, we need a person to report this behavior to us before we can identify or remove it.

Reporting a case of cyberbullying is always anonymous on Instagram and Facebook, and no one will ever know you let us know about this behavior.

You can report something you experience yourself, but it’s also just as easy to report for one of your friends using the tools available directly in the app. More information on how to report something is included in Instagram’s Help Center and on Facebook’s Help Center .

You could also let your friend know about a tool on Instagram called Restrict , where you can discreetly protect your account without having to block someone -- which can seem harsh for some people.

We enabled bystander reporting which means that you can make a report on behalf of another person. This can now be done for reports of private information and impersonation as well.

6. How do we stop cyberbullying without giving up access to the Internet?

Being online has so many benefits. However, like many things in life, it comes with risks that you need to protect against.

If you experience cyberbullying, you may want to delete certain apps or stay offline for a while to give yourself time to recover. But getting off the Internet is not a long-term solution. You did nothing wrong, so why should you be disadvantaged? It may even send the bullies the wrong signal — encouraging their unacceptable behaviour.

We all want cyberbullying to stop, which is one of the reasons reporting cyberbullying is so important. But creating the Internet we want goes beyond calling out bullying. We need to be thoughtful about what we share or say that may hurt others. We need to be kind to one another online and in real life. It's up to all of us!

We need to be thoughtful about what we share or say that may hurt others.

Keeping Instagram and Facebook safe and positive places for self-expression is important to us -- people will only be comfortable sharing if they feel safe. But, we know that cyberbullying can get in the way and create negative experiences. That’s why at Instagram and Facebook, we’re committed to leading the fight against cyberbullying.

We’re doing this in two main ways. First, by using technology to prevent people from experiencing and seeing bullying. For example, people can turn on a setting that uses artificial intelligence technology to automatically filter and hide bullying comments intended to harass or upset people.

Second, we’re working to encourage positive behavior and interactions by giving people tools to customize their experience on Facebook and Instagram. Restrict is one tool designed to empower you to discreetly protect your account while still keeping an eye on a bully.

Twitter:

Since hundreds of millions of people share ideas on Twitter, it’s no surprise that we don’t all agree. That’s one of the benefits because we can all learn from respectful disagreements and discussions.

But sometimes, after you’ve listened to someone for a while, you may not want to hear them anymore. Their right to express themselves doesn’t mean you’re required to listen.

7. How do I prevent my personal information from being used to manipulate or humiliate me on social media?

Think twice before posting or sharing anything online – it may stay online forever and could be used to harm you later. Don’t give out personal details such as your address, telephone number or the name of your school.

Learn about the privacy settings of your favourite social media apps. Here are some actions you can take on many of them:

You can decide who can see your profile, send you direct messages or comment on your posts by adjusting your account privacy settings.
You can report hurtful comments, messages and photos and request they be removed.
Besides ‘unfriending’, you can completely block people to stop them from seeing your profile or contacting you.
You can also choose to have comments by certain people to appear only to them without completely blocking them.
You can delete posts on your profile or hide them from specific people.

On most of your favourite social media, people aren't notified when you block, restrict or report them.

8. Is there a punishment for cyberbullying?

Most schools take bullying seriously and will take action against it. If you are being cyberbullied by other students, report it to your school.

People who are victims of any form of violence, including bullying and cyberbullying, have a right to justice and to have the offender held accountable.

Laws against bullying, particularly on cyberbullying, are relatively new and still do not exist everywhere. This is why many countries rely on other relevant laws, such as ones against harassment, to punish cyberbullies.

In countries that have specific laws on cyberbullying, online behaviour that deliberately causes serious emotional distress is seen as criminal activity. In some of these countries, victims of cyberbullying can seek protection, prohibit communication from a specified person and restrict the use of electronic devices used by that person for cyberbullying, temporarily or permanently.

However, it is important to remember that punishment is not always the most effective way to change the behaviour of bullies. It is often better to focus on repairing the harm and mending the relationship.

Facebook/Instagram:

On Facebook, we have a set of Community Standards , and on Instagram, we have Community Guidelines that we ask our community to follow. If we find content that violates these policies, like in the case of bullying or harassment, we’ll remove it.

If you think content has been removed incorrectly, we also allow for appeals. On Instagram, you can appeal content or account removal through our Help Center . On Facebook, you can also go through the same process on the Help Center .

We strongly enforce our rules to ensure all people can participate in the public conversation freely and safely. These rules specifically cover a number of areas including topics such as:

Child sexual exploitation
Abuse/harassment
Hateful conduct
Suicide or self-harm
Sensitive media, including graphic violence and adult content

As part of these rules, we take a number of different enforcement actions when content is in violation. When we take enforcement actions, we may do so either on a specific piece of content (e.g., an individual Tweet or Direct Message) or on an account.

You can find more on our enforcement actions here .

9. Internet companies don’t seem to care about online bullying and harassment. Are they being held responsible?

Internet companies are increasingly paying attention to the issue of online bullying.

Many of them are introducing ways to address it and better protect their users with new tools, guidance and ways to report online abuse.

But it is true that even more is needed. Many young people experience cyberbullying every day. Some face extreme forms of online abuse. Some have taken their own lives as a result.

Technology companies have a responsibility to protect their users especially children and young people.

It is up to all of us to hold them accountable when they’re not living up to these responsibilities.

10. Are there any online anti-bullying tools for children or young people?

Each social platform offers different tools (see available ones below) that allow you to restrict who can comment on or view your posts or who can connect automatically as a friend, and to report cases of bullying. Many of them involve simple steps to block, mute or report cyberbullying. We encourage you to explore them.

Social media companies also provide educational tools and guidance for children, parents and teachers to learn about risks and ways to stay safe online.

Also, the first line of defense against cyberbullying could be you. Think about where cyberbullying happens in your community and ways you can help – by raising your voice, calling out bullies, reaching out to trusted adults or by creating awareness of the issue. Even a simple act of kindness can go a long way.

If you are worried about your safety or something that has happened to you online, urgently speak to an adult you trust. Many countries have a special helpline you can call for free and talk to someone anonymously. Visit Child Helpline International to find help in your country.

The first line of defense against cyberbullying could be you.

We have a number of tools to help keep young people safe:

You can opt to ignore all messages from a bully or use our Restrict tool to discreetly protect your account without that person being notified.
You can moderate comments on your own posts.
You can modify your settings so that only people you follow can send you a direct message.
And on Instagram, we send you a notification you’re about to post something that might cross the line, encouraging you to reconsider.

For more tips on how to protect yourself and others from cyberbullying, check out our resources on Facebook or Instagram .

If people on Twitter become annoying or negative we have tools that can help you, and the following list is linked to instructions on how to set these up.

Mute - removing an account's Tweets from your timeline without unfollowing or blocking that account
Block - restricting specific accounts from contacting you, seeing your Tweets, and following you
Report - filing a report about abusive behaviour

Expert contributions from: Sonia Livingstone, OBE, Professor Social Psychology, Department of Media and Communications, London School of Economics; Professor Amanda Third, Professorial Research Fellow, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University.

With special thanks to: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

UNICEF contributions: Mercy Agbai, Stephen Blight, Anjan Bose, Alix Cabral, Rocio Aznar Daban, Siobhan Devine, Emma Ferguson, Nicole Foster, Nelson Leoni, Supreet Mahanti, Clarice Da Silva e Paula, Michael Sidwell, Daniel Kardefelt Winther.

To anyone who has ever been bullied online: You are not alone

TikTok stars Charli and Dixie D'Amelio open up about their personal experience of being bullied and share tips on how to make the internet a better place.

Reporting abuse and safety resources

Facebook instagram kik snapchat, tiktok tumblr twitter wechat whatsapp youtube.

Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Cyber Bullying — Cyber Bullying, Its Effects And Ways To Stop

Cyber Bullying, Its Effects and Ways to Stop

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Cyberbullying

What Is Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. Cyberbullying can occur through SMS, Text, and apps, or online in social media, forums, or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share content. Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else. It can include sharing personal or private information about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation. Some cyberbullying crosses the line into unlawful or criminal behavior.

The most common places where cyberbullying occurs are:

Social Media, such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Tik Tok
Text messaging and messaging apps on mobile or tablet devices
Instant messaging, direct messaging, and online chatting over the internet
Online forums, chat rooms, and message boards, such as Reddit
Online gaming communities

Special Concerns

With the prevalence of social media and digital forums, comments, photos, posts, and content shared by individuals can often be viewed by strangers as well as acquaintances. The content an individual shares online – both their personal content as well as any negative, mean, or hurtful content – creates a kind of permanent public record of their views, activities, and behavior. This public record can be thought of as an online reputation, which may be accessible to schools, employers, colleges, clubs, and others who may be researching an individual now or in the future. Cyberbullying can harm the online reputations of everyone involved – not just the person being bullied, but those doing the bullying or participating in it. Cyberbullying has unique concerns in that it can be:

Persistent – Digital devices offer an ability to immediately and continuously communicate 24 hours a day, so it can be difficult for children experiencing cyberbullying to find relief.

Permanent – Most information communicated electronically is permanent and public, if not reported and removed. A negative online reputation, including for those who bully, can impact college admissions, employment, and other areas of life.

Hard to Notice – Because teachers and parents may not overhear or see cyberbullying taking place, it is harder to recognize.

Laws and Sanctions

All states have laws requiring schools to respond to bullying. As cyberbullying has become more prevalent with the use of technology, many states now include cyberbullying , or mention cyberbullying offenses, under these laws. Schools may take action either as required by law, or with local or school policies that allow them to discipline or take other action. Some states also have provisions to address bullying if it affects school performance. You can learn about the laws and policies in each state, including if they cover cyberbullying.

Frequency of Cyberbullying

There are two sources of federally collected data on youth bullying:

The 2019 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey (National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice) indicates that, nationwide, about 16 percent of students in grades 9–12 experienced cyberbullying.
The 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) indicates that an estimated 15.9% of high school students were electronically bullied in the 12 months prior to the survey.

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Cyber Bullying Prevention in Learning Institutions: Systematic Approach To start with, the students are provided with ways of reporting their concern to the educational institution, and when the staff members of the institution receive the report, they evaluate the information together with the […]
Discouraging and Eliminating Cyber Bullying Resources Role of the resource/input Statement forms To facilitate information transfer to the staff Counseling Personnel To arm students against the problem Bullying report system To create efficient internet enhance report system Regulation implementation documents […]
Cyber Bullying and Its Forms The difference between the conventional way of bullying and cyber bullying is that in conventional bullying, there is contact between the bully and the victim.
Ethics in Technology: Cyber Crimes Furthermore, the defendant altered the data, which compromised the integrity of the information to the detriment of the organizations involved. In this litigation, Aleksey Vladimirovich Ivanov was the defendant while the American government was the […]
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Understanding youth nicotine use to prevent initiation and escalation.

Using multiple nicotine products can be associated with higher levels of nicotine dependence among youth and increased mortality in adults, compared with the use of one product alone. Yale researchers have now uncovered factors that contribute to adolescents using multiple nicotine products.

These findings, they say, will help inform efforts to prevent escalation from single to multiple product use.

Their findings were reported April 24 in the journal Preventative Medicine.

While public health campaigns have spread awareness on the harms of smoking and, more recently, vaping, an increasingly diverse landscape of nicotine products, widespread adoption of e-cigarettes, and a growing use of multiple products among young people may require updated strategies, says Patricia Simon , an assistant professor adjunct of psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine (YSM) and lead author of the study.

“ Using nicotine products has numerous health impacts and multiple product use can have additional negative consequences, including increased nicotine dependence, reduced intent to quit, and increased mortality,” said Simon. “One challenge now is to find ways to prevent young people from progressing from single to multiple product use, but we need to know what contributes to that progression in order to develop effective interventions.”

For the study, Simon and her colleagues used data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, a long-term evaluation of tobacco use in the United States that began in 2013 and is administered and funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The researchers analyzed data from over 10,000 individuals who joined the PATH study when they were between the ages 12 and 17. The participants completed the PATH Study assessments in 2013 and 2014 (Wave 1 of the PATH Study) and again in 2017 and 2018 (Wave 4).

Among the study group during Wave 4, nearly 11% reported having used multiple nicotine products, over 13% reported using one product, and just over 76% said they had not used any nicotine products during the previous 30 days, the researchers found. Cigarettes were the product most reportedly used followed by e-cigarettes, cigars, hookah, and smokeless tobacco.

“ We also found several personal, familial, and environmental factors that contributed to nicotine product use and multiple product use,” said Ralitza Gueorguieva , a senior research scientist in the Department of Biostatistics at Yale School of Public Health (YSPH) and coauthor of the study.

Those who reported using nicotine products in Wave 4 of the study reported more problems with sleep, anxiety, or feelings of hopelessness, were less likely to have talked with parents or guardians about not using tobacco products, and more likely to have seen advertisements for tobacco products in Wave 1, compared with those not reporting nicotine use.

The researchers then compared individuals who used multiple products with those who reported using just one in Wave 4, finding they were more likely to be male, in the older 15- to 17-year-old age group, and to have reported ever using a nicotine product at the start of the study (Wave 1). When asked to rate how much harm they thought came from using various nicotine products, those who used multiple products assigned less harmful ratings than those who used just one product.

“ This more nuanced understanding of nicotine use in adolescents allows us to better differentiate those who use single products versus multiple products, which is an important new perspective,” said Elina Stefanovics , a research scientist in the Department of Psychiatry at YSM and coauthor of the study.

These findings should be considered by regulators aiming to align policies with modern usage patterns, clinicians advising parents on risk and protective factors, and prevention scientists developing targeted programs based on specific risk factors for youth, said the researchers.

“This study provides crucial evidence that will help shape interventions aimed at preventing both the initiation and escalation of nicotine product use among adolescents,” said Eugenia Buta , a research scientist with the Yale Center for Analytical Sciences at YSPH and coauthor of the study. “By understanding these factors, we can develop more effective public health strategies and regulatory policies to reduce the prevalence of multiple nicotine product use among our youth.”

Shiyao Ying at YSPH and Suchitra Krishnan-Sarin at YSM were also coauthors of the study.

Research reported in this publication was supported by grant number U54DA036151 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the NIH, and the Center for Tobacco Products, part of the FDA. Partial support is also provided by National Cancer Institute, NIH grant R03 CA245991 and NIDA grant L40 DA042454. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors, and it does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health or the Food and Drug Administration.

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An Israeli armored vehicles drives in a cloud of dust in Gaza.

The Stark Reality of Israel’s Fight in Gaza

Israel has failed to achieve its two primary goals of the war, while the suffering of Palestinians erodes support even among its allies.

Six months into the conflict in Gaza, the question of what Israel has achieved is creating ever more intense global strains. Credit... Avishag Shaar-Yashuv for The New York Times

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By Julian E. Barnes , Adam Goldman , Eric Schmitt and Adam Rasgon

Reporting from Washington and Jerusalem

April 22, 2024

Israel’s military operations in Gaza have weakened Hamas. Most Hamas battalions have been degraded and are scattered. Thousands of its members have been killed, and at least one senior military leader has been eliminated.

Yet Israel has not achieved its primary goals of the war: freeing hostages and fully destroying Hamas.

The war and the tactics of the Israel Defense Forces have come at a great cost. Vast numbers of Palestinian civilians have been killed in the Israeli campaign; hunger is widespread in Gaza; and deaths around relief efforts have generated condemnation.

Six months into the conflict, the question of what Israel has achieved — and when and how the fighting could come to an end — is creating ever more intense global strains around a war that has cost Israel support from even close allies.

Israel’s own military casualties have begun to climb, with about 260 killed and more than 1,500 injured since its pulverizing ground assault began in the weeks after the Hamas-led terrorist attacks on Oct. 7.

Israeli officials say that about 133 of the hostages taken remain in Gaza. But talks to secure the return of at least some of them in exchange for a halt in the fighting and the release of Palestinian prisoners have hit a snag. Hamas has rebuffed the latest proposal and claims it does not have 40 hostages who meet the terms of the first part of the proposed deal, raising questions about how many are still alive and how many are held by other groups.

The war has settled into a deadly pattern of skirmishes and airstrikes as Israeli forces continue to operate in Gaza, targeting Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters. Last week, with tensions between Israel and Iran increased, the Israeli military said it struck more than 100 targets and killed dozens of fighters in the central part of the enclave, including a Hamas security officer who served in the group’s intelligence wing.

A coffin draped with the Israeli flag is viewed from above during a funeral for a soldier.

The Israeli military says Hamas casualties continue to mount but that no Israeli soldiers have been killed in fighting in Gaza since April 6 . That suggests that the pace of the fighting and Hamas’s capabilities have waned for now.

But both sides are bracing for a larger operation in the southern city of Rafah, Hamas’s last stronghold that Israel has not invaded.

And there is more uncertainty about what will follow Rafah, with questions about who will govern Gaza and provide its security if the fighting is to end.

This article is based on interviews with American and Israeli officials, members of Hamas and Palestinians in Gaza. Some spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss military planning, sensitive diplomacy or secret intelligence assessments.

Despite Hamas’s heavy losses, much of its top leadership in Gaza remains in place, ensconced in a vast underground network of tunnels and operations centers, calling the shots in the hostage negotiations. Those tunnels will allow Hamas to survive and reconstitute once the fighting stops, current and former U.S. officials say.

“Palestinian resistance to Israel, manifested by Hamas and other militant groups, is an idea as much as it is a physical, tangible group of people,” said Douglas London, a retired C.I.A. officer who spent 34 years at the agency. “So for as much damage Israel might have inflicted on Hamas, it still has capability, resilience, funding and a long line of people most likely waiting to sign up and join after all the fighting and all the destruction and all the loss of life.”

In an annual intelligence assessment released in March, American spy agencies expressed doubts about Israel’s ability to truly destroy Hamas, which the United States has designated a terrorist group.

“Israel probably will face lingering armed resistance from Hamas for years to come,” the report said, “and the military will struggle to neutralize Hamas’s underground infrastructure, which allows insurgents to hide, regain strength and surprise Israeli forces.”

After six intense months, the war has come down to Rafah.

The Israeli military believes four battalions of Hamas fighters are based in the city and that thousands of other fighters have taken refuge there, along with around a million civilians.

The Israeli military says those battalions must be dismantled.

Israeli officials said the only way to destroy those battalions is with a major push into Rafah by ground forces. Israeli security experts contend that destroying the tunnels between Gaza and Egypt that supply Hamas with arms will also be a critical goal.

But the planned invasion has become a point of friction between the United States and Israel.

Israel has not developed a plan to evacuate civilians from Rafah, U.S. officials said. Without one, the death toll in Gaza — already about 34,000, according to health officials there — will climb even higher. The Israeli government disputes those numbers, saying they do not distinguish between Hamas fighters and civilians killed during the war.

“I have not yet seen a credible and executable plan to move people that has any level of detail about how you not only house, feed and provide medicine for those innocent civilians, but also how you deal with things like sanitation, water and other basic services,” Jake Sullivan, President Biden’s national security adviser, told reporters earlier this month.

U.S. military officials say that Israel should model its plan on the siege of Mosul, Iraq, in 2017 by Iraqi forces and the U.S. Air Force. The operation destroyed large swaths of what was once Iraq’s second-largest city. While roughly 3,000 civilians were killed as a result of Iraqi or U.S. military action, by some estimates , the coalition successfully evacuated a million residents from the city ahead of the assault on the city.

For Rafah, American military planners want Israel to carry out targeted raids on Hamas strong points, but only after civilians have been relocated.

Israeli officials say they expect civilians to move to safer areas. But U.S. officials have said that with much of the strip nearly uninhabitable, Israel needs a better plan.

“This is an opportune time for Israel to transition to a new phase focused on very precise counterterrorism operations, particularly given the situation of 1.2 to 1.3 million Palestinians all clustered within Rafah and its environs,” said Lt. Gen. Mark C. Schwartz, a retired U.S. Special Operations commander who served as the American security coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

The movement of civilians within Gaza, and the Palestinians taking refuge in Rafah, is a major sticking point not just between the United States and Israel but also in the talks about a temporary cease-fire to secure the release of hostages.

On Thursday, William J. Burns, the C.I.A. director, placed the lack of progress in the talks squarely at the feet of Hamas and its negative reaction to a U.S.-backed proposal presented this month.

“It’s a big rock to push up a very steep hill right now,” Mr. Burns said. “It’s that negative reaction that really is standing in the way of innocent civilians in Gaza getting humanitarian relief.”

U.S. officials say privately that the only way to get Israel to stop the Rafah operation is through a hostage release deal.

But Israeli officials say they believe it is only the looming operation in Rafah that has kept Hamas in negotiations.

As the talks continue, there is rising anger among families of hostages about Israel’s failure to bring their loved ones home.

Gilad Korngold, 62, whose son Tal Shoham is one of the hostages, said he was overcome with feelings of “despair, frustration, anger and fear” because of the government’s failure to strike a deal to free the hostages.

“They abandoned them,” he said in an interview. “Time is running out. We don’t know how they’re doing, if they’re eating or drinking, or if they’re getting medicine. We don’t know anything about them.”

Mr. Korngold said three members of his family were killed on Oct. 7 and that six others who had been abducted were released during a short-lived cease-fire in late November.

“Hostage recovery comes down to thoughtful and unified negotiations, and that will likely not happen until Israel withdraws the hammer,” said Jay Tabb, a Marine officer who fought in Iraq and served as a top F.B.I. executive working on counterterrorism and hostage issues.

Since the beginning of the war, Israel has tried to destroy the extensive tunnel network below Gaza.

The system runs for hundreds of miles, at points reaching 15 stories below ground, according to Israeli and U.S. officials. It contains larger complexes of underground rooms, used for command posts and refuges. Hamas has used the tunnels to hide its leaders, hold hostages and allow fighters to escape Israeli attack.

Israel has not been able to destroy the tunnels, which Hamas has spent years building. But Israeli officials say they have taken out most of the key nodes, the underground strategic complexes that Hamas has used to command its forces. About 70 percent of the complexes have been eliminated, said an Israeli military intelligence official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to comply with army protocols.

Israeli officials also say their military has killed as many as 13,000 Hamas members, though experts caution that any figures are probably imprecise given the chaos of the war. And in March, Israel killed Marwan Issa, who was the deputy commander of Hamas’s military wing and a presumed planner of the Oct. 7 attacks. He is the highest-ranking Hamas military leader eliminated during the war.

As a result of the fighting, 19 of Hamas’s 24 battalions are no longer functioning, the Israelis say.

Between the losses and damage to the underground complexes, Hamas’s ability to command its forces has been severely reduced.

But veterans of the United States’ wars say the number of enemy soldiers killed, or command posts destroyed, has proved a totally irrelevant fact and a deeply misleading measure of success in a military campaign.

To be sure, American intelligence agencies assess that Hamas has lost a significant amount of combat power, and that rebuilding will take time.

But that does not mean Hamas has been destroyed. Israeli officials said the group and other militant organizations still have many forces above and below ground. In northern Gaza, 4,000 to 5,000 fighters have held out, the Israeli military intelligence official said.

U.S. officials and analysts say Hamas is likely to remain a force in Gaza when the fighting is over. But how quickly it can rebuild will depend on Israel’s decisions in the next phases of the war and in its aftermath.

Both the Israeli military and the Palestinians are bracing for what comes next.

While Israel has continued to conduct strikes on Rafah, several Palestinians said they were struggling to survive.

“We’re going through a dreadful experience,” said Khalil el-Halabi, 70, a resident of Gaza City sheltering in a tent in Rafah. “Why do we have to live through this misery when we had nothing to do with Oct. 7? We just want to go back to our homes.”

Despite American pleas for restraint, Palestinians, Israelis and military experts expect that Israel will go into Rafah. The real question is what will happen after that.

Israel’s attacks have devastated Gaza. Palestinians returning to the southern city of Khan Younis after the Israeli military pulled out this month were confronted with an apocalyptic scene — endless islands of rubble, destroyed roads and the smell of human remains.

“I feel like Khan Younis was hit by a magnitude-50 earthquake,” said Mohammed al-Hassi, a medic from the city. “Entire neighborhoods have been erased, and people can’t even recognize where their homes once were.”

Some Israeli officials say grinding down Hamas may take years.

Benny Gantz, a member of Israel’s war cabinet, told a group of Israelis in January that the war could last “a year, a decade or a generation,” according to a person who participated in the meeting.

American officials blanch at suggestions that intense Israeli operations could go on for two more months, let alone two more years.

They say Israel should declare victory over Hamas and move to a different kind of fight: one that targets senior Hamas leaders but does not brutalize civilians; one focused on preventing Hamas from resupplying and rebuilding, rather than pummeling the fighters that remain.

Equally critical, American officials say, is coming up with a plan to return the governance of Gaza to Palestinians. U.S. and Arab officials are pushing to announce steps toward a demilitarized Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, and his government are against such moves. But Israeli officials have been reluctant to engage with Americans on their plans for Gaza, including who they intend to hand power over to, and what proposals for security and governance they would accept.

On Thursday, the United States vetoed a Palestinian bid to be recognized as a full member state at the United Nations, saying the step requires negotiations.

In the absence of Israel allowing a functioning Palestinian government to take charge, chaos and lawlessness have taken over as Israeli troops have withdrawn from parts of Gaza.

Current and former U.S. officials said that while Israel has not, and cannot, destroy Hamas, it has made the likelihood of a repeat of the Oct. 7 terrorist attack remote.

Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin, a former Israeli military intelligence chief, agreed. “We’ve already achieved the most important thing: dismantling Hamas as an organized army capable of an Oct. 7 attack,” he said. “It can’t do it again.”

Julian E. Barnes covers the U.S. intelligence agencies and international security matters for The Times. He has written about security issues for more than two decades. More about Julian E. Barnes

Adam Goldman writes about the F.B.I. and national security. He has been a journalist for more than two decades. More about Adam Goldman

Eric Schmitt is a national security correspondent for The Times, focusing on U.S. military affairs and counterterrorism issues overseas, topics he has reported on for more than three decades. More about Eric Schmitt

Adam Rasgon reports from Israel for The Times's Jerusalem bureau. More about Adam Rasgon

Our Coverage of the Israel-Hamas War

News and Analysis

Israeli negotiators, offering a hint of hope for negotiations over a cease-fire in Gaza, have reduced the number of hostages they want Hamas to release during the first phase of a truce.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Jordan for his second stop on a Middle East tour to meet with top officials to discuss the war between Israel and Hamas.

President Biden and his national security team see a narrow window to finally seal an agreement that would at least temporarily halt the war in Gaza and possibly even end it for good, but their optimism has been dashed before.

Campus Protests in the U.S.: On quads and lawns from coast to coast, U.S. colleges are grappling with a groundswell of student activism over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Administrators are having to make controversial decisions .

Cracking Down on Protests: Grief and rage over the Gaza war and Israel have led to demonstrations across the Arab world. Arrests suggest governments fear the outrage could boomerang .

Imagining Gaza’s Reconstruction: International development agencies have been meeting with Middle East business interests and urban planners to map out an economic future for the territory .

Showing Liberal Dismay: Representative Mark Pocan, the progressive Democrat from a rural, mostly white Wisconsin district, is determined to let President Biden know that it is not just young people of color who are concerned about the war .

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How to stop Cyber bullying Essay
Culture builds people or people build culture. Either way, culture has an influence on the way of life of a people. Thus, building the culture of responsible use of the internet and the social media platforms is the most fool proof method of addressing cyber bullying ("Prevent Cyber bullying".). However, building such a culture cannot be ...
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Cyber Bullying is Dangerous. Cyberbullying is a multi-faced issue. However, the intention of this activity is one and the same. To hurt people and bring them harm. Cyberbullying is not a light matter. It needs to be taken seriously as it does have a lot of dangerous effects on the victim. Moreover, it disturbs the peace of mind of a person.
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Block the player who is bullying from the game and de-friend them on social media and in gaming communities. Report the player who is bullying to the game group, team, platform, community, or developers. Take a break from playing the game. Tell a parent or trusted adult and get some support.
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Bullying can include mean words, teasing, spiteful pranks, the spreading of false rumors, name-calling, the taking of personal items, exclusion from social groups and events, graffiti scrawled on a locker, pushing and shoving, harassment, threats, and in its worst form, physical violence. Bullying is repetitive, not just a single act of aggression.
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Walk away: Walking away online involves ignoring the bullies, stepping back from your computer or phone, and finding something you enjoy doing to distract yourself from the bullying.; Don't retaliate: You may want to defend yourself at the time.But engaging with the bullies can make matters worse. Keep evidence: Save all copies of the cyberbullying, whether it be posts, texts, or emails, and ...
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Published: Mar 5, 2024. Cyberbullying is a growing concern in today's digital age, with the rise of social media and online communication platforms. This essay will explore the history and debates surrounding cyberbullying, discuss the development of the topic, and ultimately come to a resolution on how to address this issue effectively.
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Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. Cyberbullying can occur through SMS, Text, and apps, or online in social media, forums, or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share content. Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean ...
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What is cyberbullying?

The top 10 questions on cyberbullying

1. Am I being bullied online? How do you tell the difference between a joke and bullying?

2. What are the effects of cyberbullying?

3. Who should I talk to if someone is bullying me online? Why is reporting important?

4. I’m experiencing cyberbullying, but I’m afraid to talk to my parents about it. How can I approach them?

5. How can I help my friends report a case of cyberbullying especially if they don’t want to do it?

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6. How do we stop cyberbullying without giving up access to the Internet?

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7. How do I prevent my personal information from being used to manipulate or humiliate me on social media?

8. Is there a punishment for cyberbullying?

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9. Internet companies don’t seem to care about online bullying and harassment. Are they being held responsible?

10. Are there any online anti-bullying tools for children or young people?

To anyone who has ever been bullied online: You are not alone