What is Cyber Bullying & How Does it Affect Your Kids?

Cyber Bullying Definition | What is Cyber Bullying & How Does it Affect Kids? | OurFamilyWorld.com

To fully understand what classifies as cyber bullying, you must look at the Cyber Bullying Definition.  We hope to bring together the core definition, as well as break things down into specific groups to help you understand more fully what could potentially be happening in your child’s life today.  Cyber bullying is a serious crime against its victim.  Because of the anonymity of the bully themselves, it often creates much more permanent damage in the victim.

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CYBER BULLYING DEFINITION

The Merriam Webster Dictionary says that Cyber Bullying is the electronic posting of mean-spirited messages about a person often done anonymously.   This definition is vague to some, but can be easily elaborated upon.  Cyber bullying takes on many forms, but in the end always comes back to this definition.

Where Does Cyber Bullying Occur?

Social Media:  Messages, Instant Messaging, Status updates with negative and derogatory attacks are most common.  Sending negative messages, peer pressure and innuendos are all commonplace on social media.

Chat Room & Forum Boards:  While chat rooms are not as popular now as they were 20 years ago, they do still exist.  Forum boards, game chat groups and chat rooms can also be a highly interactive place for kids to go without parental eyes viewing their conversations.  Unfortunately, they also include a lot of ways that kids can easily harass each other.

Online Gaming Groups:  This is one that is very easy to be targeted on.  Many kids login to play against other video game fans and find themselves the subject of bullying and belittling.

What Types Of Cyber Bullying Occur?

Sexual Harassment:  While the above mentioned forums are the most common places cyber bullying occurs, the most common form of cyber bullying is sexual harassment.  The following are common forms of sexual harassment in cyber bullying:

  • Peer Pressure To Perform Sexual Acts
  • Innuendos regarding prior sexual occurrences
  • Rumors about sexual experiences.
  • Sharing of nude photos taken with or without permission (sexting can often lead to blackmail sexual harassment)

Degrading Comments:  Whether on social media, in groups or forums degrading comments can be devastating to the victim. Making fun of a victim, pointing out flaws or degrading their pictures, ideals or intelligence are all common place.

Cyber Bullying is something that our children now face no matter how hard we try to shelter them from it.  With smart phones, tablets and social media so common place in every home, it is difficult to avoid the potential opportunity for your child to become a victim of cyber bullying.  As a parent you must continue to stay educated, keep open communication with your children and work diligently to make sure they are abiding by safe internet protocols.

 Does this cyber bullying definition help you better understand why this type of bullying is such a problem?

6 thoughts on “What is Cyber Bullying & How Does it Affect Your Kids?”

  1. Bullying is bad enough and now that it has spread to the internet makes it even worse. Parents need to be so aware of what is going on those social media areas to protect their children and to also discover if their child is a bully.

  2. This topic totally stresses me out! The older my first child gets (she’s turning 8 soon) the more I worry about these issues. Thanks for the info.. it is definitely a real problem that needs to be taken seriously. :/

  3. My son was cyberbullied and cyberstalked a few years ago. We finally had to get the police involved and get a restraining order against the other child. Parents definitely need to take this seriously!!

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