This topic has come to my attention more and more over the years that I have been a member of forum sites and has become more evident to me since I started www.icmag.com 4 years ago...by reading many threads and the posts within them....
Someone takes a dislike to you for some reason or another......It may be because you might dissagree with what they are saying online or a multitude of other reasons some that may have even taken place in the real world. It could be a form of industrial sabotage/espionage' if you run a business from a disgruntled employee or customer or competitor........
The bullying could also come from someone that just likes to victimise others from a safe seat somewhere without facing the repercussions from their actions that would normally happen in the real world.....
The cyber-bully can hide behind a screen somewhere safe (for them) and attack you in many ways as I have seen against myself and many others out there over the years and this can be quite damaging both phychologically and emotionally to the victim.
What is Cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying ......refers to the new, and growing, practice of using modern technology to harass, or bully, someone else.
In the past Bullies used to be restricted to methods such as physical intimidation......postal mail, or on the telephone. Nowadays, developments in electronic media offer forums such as email, instant messaging, web pages, and digital photograpy to add to the arsenal.....so.... Computers, cell phones, and PDAs(blackberries e.t.c) are new tools that can be applied to an old practice......
....There are different forms of cyberbullying and these can range in severity from cruel or embarrassing rumors to threats, harassment, or stalking. It can affect any age group; however, teenagers and young adults are common victims, and cyberbullying is a growing problem in schools.
....Why has cyberbullying become such a problem?....
The relative anonymity of the internet is appealing for bullies because it enhances the intimidation and makes tracing the activity more difficult....
...Some bullies also find it much easier to be more vicious because there is no personal contact. Unfortunately, the internet and email can also increase the visibility of the activity. Information or pictures posted online or forwarded in mass emails can reach a larger audience faster than more traditional methods, causing more damage to the victims.
..Because of the amount of personal information available online, bullies may be able to arbitrarily choose their victims.
....Cyberbullying may also indicate a tendency toward more serious behavior. While bullying has always been an unfortunate reality, most bullies grow out of it.
Cyberbullying has not existed long enough to have solid research, but there is evidence that it may be an early warning for more violent behavior.
How can you protect yourself?....
Be careful where you post personal information - By limiting the number of people who have access to your contact information or details about your interests, habits, or employment, you reduce your exposure to bullies that you do not know. This may limit your risk of becoming a victim and may make it easier to identify the bully if you are victimized.....
Avoid escalating the situation - Responding with hostility is likely to provoke a bully and escalate the situation.
Depending on the circumstances, consider ignoring the issue. Often, bullies thrive on the reaction of their victims. Other options include subtle actions. For example, if you are receiving unwanted email messages, consider changing your email address. If the bully does not have access to the new address, the problem may stop.
Online in forum sites such as this you can redflag any post that you concieve as being from a cyberbully and get the administrators of the site to be aware of it and then they can adudicate as to whether or not the material breaches their terms of use and then deal with it by deleting the post/thread and/or warning or banning the member responsible for it.
Someone takes a dislike to you for some reason or another......It may be because you might dissagree with what they are saying online or a multitude of other reasons some that may have even taken place in the real world. It could be a form of industrial sabotage/espionage' if you run a business from a disgruntled employee or customer or competitor........
The bullying could also come from someone that just likes to victimise others from a safe seat somewhere without facing the repercussions from their actions that would normally happen in the real world.....
The cyber-bully can hide behind a screen somewhere safe (for them) and attack you in many ways as I have seen against myself and many others out there over the years and this can be quite damaging both phychologically and emotionally to the victim.
What is Cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying ......refers to the new, and growing, practice of using modern technology to harass, or bully, someone else.
In the past Bullies used to be restricted to methods such as physical intimidation......postal mail, or on the telephone. Nowadays, developments in electronic media offer forums such as email, instant messaging, web pages, and digital photograpy to add to the arsenal.....so.... Computers, cell phones, and PDAs(blackberries e.t.c) are new tools that can be applied to an old practice......
....There are different forms of cyberbullying and these can range in severity from cruel or embarrassing rumors to threats, harassment, or stalking. It can affect any age group; however, teenagers and young adults are common victims, and cyberbullying is a growing problem in schools.
....Why has cyberbullying become such a problem?....
The relative anonymity of the internet is appealing for bullies because it enhances the intimidation and makes tracing the activity more difficult....
...Some bullies also find it much easier to be more vicious because there is no personal contact. Unfortunately, the internet and email can also increase the visibility of the activity. Information or pictures posted online or forwarded in mass emails can reach a larger audience faster than more traditional methods, causing more damage to the victims.
..Because of the amount of personal information available online, bullies may be able to arbitrarily choose their victims.
....Cyberbullying may also indicate a tendency toward more serious behavior. While bullying has always been an unfortunate reality, most bullies grow out of it.
Cyberbullying has not existed long enough to have solid research, but there is evidence that it may be an early warning for more violent behavior.
How can you protect yourself?....
Be careful where you post personal information - By limiting the number of people who have access to your contact information or details about your interests, habits, or employment, you reduce your exposure to bullies that you do not know. This may limit your risk of becoming a victim and may make it easier to identify the bully if you are victimized.....
Avoid escalating the situation - Responding with hostility is likely to provoke a bully and escalate the situation.
Depending on the circumstances, consider ignoring the issue. Often, bullies thrive on the reaction of their victims. Other options include subtle actions. For example, if you are receiving unwanted email messages, consider changing your email address. If the bully does not have access to the new address, the problem may stop.
Online in forum sites such as this you can redflag any post that you concieve as being from a cyberbully and get the administrators of the site to be aware of it and then they can adudicate as to whether or not the material breaches their terms of use and then deal with it by deleting the post/thread and/or warning or banning the member responsible for it.