Cyber-bullying

Cyber-bullying is an act of bullying or harassment using electronic forms of contact. Cyber-bullying can include posting rumors about a person, threats, sexual remarks, disclosing victims' personal information, or pejorative labels (i.e., hate speech). Cyber-bullying can be identified by repeated behavior and an intent to harm. Victims of cyber-bullying may have lower self-esteem, and increased suicidal plots. Cyber-bullying another person can also lead to a variety of emotional responses, retaliation, acting scared, frustration, anger, depression, imprinting, defamation, and eventually nervous shock. Individuals have reported that cyber-bullying can be more harmful than traditional bullying.

Many laws across the world in different countries have laws specific to regulating cyber-bullying. These laws can be designed to specifically target teen cyber-bullying, while others use laws extending from the scope of physical harassment. In cases of adult cyber-bullying, these reports are usually filed beginning with local law authorities. Research has demonstrated a number of serious consequences of cyber-bullying victimization.

Internet trolling is a common form of cyber-bullying over the Internet in an online community (such as in online gaming or social media) in order to elicit a reaction, disruption, or for their own personal amusement. Cyber-stalking is another form of cyber-bullying that uses electronic communications to stalk a victim may pose a credible threat to the safety of the victim.

Cyber-bullying has been a common sight on social media sties, such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and even Instagram. If a victim is bullied, stalked, or trolled by a user responsible for the commitments, the victim should immediately block that user of whom is performing the harassment. There are common sights where users even create accounts that are fake or impersonate the victim to stir up further controversy, which is possible to lead to potential defamation, imprinting, and nervous shock. The victim can report the accounts for the social media site to review, and the accounts could be deactivated if ever detected (if it is fake or impersonates and stirs up the cyber-bullying controversy).