We live in a digital age where technology connects us in ways never before imagined, through all kinds of tools that unfortunately are sometimes used for worrying purposes. In this article, we will explore what cyberbullying is, who is affected, its impact and, most importantly, how we can prevent and combat it, especially among the most vulnerable groups, children.
What is cyberbullying and what types are there?
Cyberbullying is any type of harassment, intimidation, abuse or defamation where the medium used is digital. This cyberbullying can take place between peers (adults against adults, minors against minors, etc.), or between people who take advantage of their position of power (adult against minor, manager against employee, etc.).
There are different types of bullying depending on the tactic used, the intentionality of the bullying and the actors involved.
If we talk in terms of intentionality, there are several types:
- Cyberbullying by exclusion to deliberately isolate a person from a group, conversation or social network. The bully’s intention is usually to undermine the victim’s self-esteem.
- Outing, when confidential information about a person is published with the intention of publicly humiliating the victim. People belonging to the LGTBI+ community are especially vulnerable in this case, as the term comes from the word out, and often the intention is to make a person’s sexual or gender identity public, popularly known as “outing”, without their consent.
- Trolling is the act of provoking a person with insults and violent words in public places such as forums and social networks. The word is derived from troll, which currently describes a person with an unknown identity who posts provocative messages.
- Grooming is when an adult, by deception, attempts to groom a child for paedophilic purposes. Grooming derives from the English verb groom, which refers to behaviour of “approaching or preparing for a particular purpose”.
If we focus on the tactics used for cyberbullying we usually find two modus operandi: the creation of fake profiles that allow cyberbullying to take place from anonymity and fraping which is identity theft whereby the cyberbully steals a real profile to impersonate that person and publish private information, photos, videos, etc. to humiliate them online.
Can we prevent it?
Especially in children, prevention is essential and requires a multi-faceted approach that includes education, awareness raising and the use of cybersecurity tools. From content filtering and parental control to promoting an online culture of respect and empathy, there are many ways we can work together to prevent and combat cyberbullying.
It is important to maintain an open channel of communication with children where we know, as we do in the physical world, how their day-to-day lives are going in the digital world (what social networks they use, who they interact with, what their interests are, etc.) and to be very aware of any sudden change in behaviour that could set off the alarm bells that something is going on.
With regard to grooming, Telefónica Argentina ran an awareness campaign called Love Story, which is very powerful and can be a good tool for raising awareness among our minors.
What do we do if someone around us is a victim, or even ourselves?
Spain is the first country in the European Union to protect us as victims and to have laws related to this issue, which is why cyberbullying can lead to a series of crimes such as sexual abuse, interference with the right to honour, privacy or moral integrity, and is typified in the criminal code.
In any situation of this kind, the best thing to do is to:
- Listen to the victim and remain calm.
- Do not interact with the harassing subject.
- Collect all relevant evidence to prove possible harassment.
- Report the acts in order to avoid impunity and to prevent the harasser from repeating the acts with others.
If the victim is a child, it is important to remind them that their first resource should be an adult and that they can tell you anything that might be happening in their online life.
In addition, in case of doubt, the National Institute of Cybersecurity (INCIBE) has a Cybersecurity Helpline, by calling 017. This is a free and confidential service that can resolve any doubts we may have in this regard.
There are also more data protection-related resources offered by the Spanish Data Protection Agency.
In conclusion, cyberbullying is a complex phenomenon that affects people of all ages, in different ways and for different purposes, and has devastating consequences for the mental health and emotional well-being of its victims.
As an adult, parent or educator we need to encourage respect for others online and it is essential to use existing legislation, where necessary, to protect victims and hold bullies accountable. Together we can create an increasingly safe and respectful place online.
