It is one of the oldest forms of early mental harassment. Whether in the classroom, on the school bus or at the playground, pupils across the world are familiar with this offensive behaviour, even if they themselves have not been personally targeted. But for those on the receiving end of bullying, days can feel like endless torture.
Bullying can be defined as the repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group with a real or perceived power imbalance. In today’s internet and social media-driven society, it has taken on a new and, some might say, more dangerous form: cyber bullying, which is defined as bullying with the use of digital devices and technologies.
In the past few years, I have seen a marked increase in the number of children and young people experiencing cyber bullying. Covid-19 certainly did not help matters with children spending significantly more time online and, as a result, cyber bullying has surged around the globe during this time.
There is a wide variation in the estimates of prevalence of cyber bullying, depending on the definition used and the age-group studied. Most studies in Europe and the US show the highest prevalence in middle and high school children, where 10-40 per cent of teenagers report being targeted. However, if a single incident of online harassment is considered, rates as high as 59 per cent have been reported.
Last March, a poll conducted among Emirati university pupils for the Mohamed bin Zayed Majlis for Future Generations revealed 44 per cent of Emirati university students said their mental health has been negatively affected by the pandemic. And 11 per cent of those who said their mental health was poor or not good, blamed it on bullying.
To counter such realities, and to create a safe online environment, the UAE last year launched a digital well-being policy. Such initiatives are necessary to provide children with protection from bullies.
The most common type of cyber bullying that children and teens encounter is name-calling. Other forms can be more extreme – spreading false rumours and lies; sharing embarrassing photos, videos, messages or personal information; making verbal and physical threats; and impersonation of someone and sending messages to others pretending to be them. Such acts are unlawful and can be classed as criminal behaviour.
While bullying is not new, extreme cyber bullying is of a completely different nature from what existed before the proliferation of social media. Its reach and impact have evolved at a worrying pace. It reflects how the digital world has become an intrinsic part of the lives of young people.
Research highlights clear differences between cyber bullying and more "traditional" forms. While cyber bullying may not involve the perceived differentials of social standing, such as popularity and power among peer groups, there may be other differentials at play, such as ease and competence at using technology.
There may also be a blurring of roles, with the same person acting as bully, victim and witness. Teenagers who are cyberbullied – or who are themselves the bullies – are less likely to think of the actions as bullying, or to report them compared to traditional bullying. Studies show that teenagers often think of many of these actions simply as jokes. This has significant implications regarding identification and developing preventive strategies.
There are other unique characteristics that can make cyber bullying more serious and harmful than traditional bullying in some instances. For example, any information communicated electronically can be permanent and often public. This can turn a single act of online harassment into a long-term bullying campaign. The nature of some online information may have implications to a person's reputation for a long time, including when, for example, applying to university or seeking employment. Cyber bullying can harm both the online reputations of the person being bullied and the person bullying.
Since the internet never sleeps, the act of cyber bullying can have an "always on" characteristic, allowing no let-up or relief even though the child is not in physical contact with the bully. Gone are the days, for example, where home can provide a "safe" haven and a release from the bullies at school. Children and young people use digital devices in all aspects of their lives – from organising social meet-ups with friends and families to accessing schoolwork and sports’ fixtures – they can no longer just close the front door and shut out their worries and angst at the same time.
Of particular concern is also how information online can be amplified and spread to hundreds – sometimes millions – of people. Young people can find that personal, and perhaps compromising, photos or videos shared with just one person in confidence have become public to a huge audience.
One of the key challenges in identifying and preventing cyber bullying is that since the online space is less visible to teachers and parents, it is more likely to go unnoticed and therefore less likely to be tackled.
Victims of cyber bullying are sometimes not even aware of the identity of those bullying them or the reasons behind the behaviour. It can be far harder to identify bullies who may have anonymous identities online making it difficult for victims to take action to protect themselves.
It is important to be aware that cyber bullying does not only occur on social media platforms. It can be found across all digital and online spaces where children spend time and have opportunities to interact and engage with others through posting, viewing and sharing content. Chat functions in video games, and video-sharing, streaming and community sites, all harbour opportunities for cyber bullying. The same is true of email and other messaging platforms. And while laudable work is being done to combat content violations, in that most platforms do have strong policies against cyber bullying, it shouldn’t make parents complacent.
From a mental health perspective, cyber bullying can have serious implications on the emotional and mental well-being of young people.
Feelings of shame, embarrassment, fear and anger are common. As mentioned earlier, young people can feel under attack even in traditionally safe spaces such as home. This can make a bullied person feel overwhelmed, like there is no escape.
Children facing cyber bullying can often have sleep and appetite disruption. Some become anxious and even depressed. In extreme cases, cyber bullying has even lead to people taking their own lives.
Because of the shame and embarrassment associated with bullying, no matter the form, many won’t and don’t speak up. Some children feel that people may think they are making too much of a "trivial thing", due to its virtual nature, as opposed to in "real life".
Parents and teachers have the biggest role to play in preventing and tackling cyber bullying. The parental role in identifying the behaviour is more important than when confronted with traditional forms of bullying – cyber bullying cuts across space and is as present at home as outside.
Parents need to build trusting relationships with their children and ensure they are aware that they are always there to support them in a non-judgemental way. Crucially, parents need to develop a good awareness and understanding of their children’s online activities and of the various platforms they use. They can only help their children to be safe if they themselves know the risks and what actions to take. This requires a curious attitude and an effort to learn about new apps, features within apps and online trends. It is only when parents are engaged and supportive – along with the engagement of teachers – that cyber bullies can be checked and the harm they cause to psyches of countless young people can be prevented.
