How is Cyberbullying Different from Traditional Bullying?

In some ways, cyberbullying can seem more extreme to its victims than traditional in-person bullying because of several factors (National Crime Prevention Council 2003):

In some ways, cyberbullying can seem more extreme to its victims than traditional in-person bullying [enlarge]

• Occurs in children's home: Being bullied at home can take away the place children feel most safe.
• Can be harsher: Often children say things online that they wouldn't say in person, mainly because they can't see the other person's reaction.
• Far reaching: Young people can send e-mails making fun of someone to their entire class or school with a few clicks, or post them on a web site for the whole world to see.
• Anonymity: Cyberbullies often hide behind screen names and e-mail addresses that don't identify who they are. Most cyberbullies (84 per cent) know their victims, but most victims (69 per cent) don't know their aggressors (Ybarra & Mitchell 2004b, 1313). Not knowing who is responsible for bullying messages can add to a victim's insecurity.

In fact, the anonymity associated with online interactions has several implications. Some theorize that this anonymity, as well as the lack of the non-verbal cues used in traditional communication to determine the emotional sentiment of what is being said, can lead to more hostile and aggressive behaviour (Postmes & Spears 1998). The lack of feedback about the consequences of actions on others minimizes feelings of empathy or remorse. Young people say things online that they would never say face-to-face because they feel removed from the action and the person at the receiving end.

As well, the anonymity associated with online interactions may strip away many aspects of socially accepted roles, leading the Internet to act as a potential equalizer for aggressive acts. For example, females who might act more submissive in a traditional setting may be less inhibited and feel able to assert themselves online, sometimes leading to acts of online bullying (Ybarra & Mitchell 2004a, 332). In fact, the research suggests that unlike traditional bullies who are significantly more likely to be male (Nansel et al. 2001, 2096), online bullies are just as likely to be female as male (Ybarra & Mitchell 2004a, 332).

>> Next, the profile of the cyberbully.