Technology brings a lot of benefits to our everyday lives, like helping us connect, communicate, learn and form friendships through social media, streaming, gaming, and other websites. 

But tech has its downsides too, making us vulnerable to the impacts of negative social behaviour and harassment. 

According to the Australian eSafety Commissioner, 44% of young people in Australia report having a negative online experience in the last 6 months, so if you have experienced cyberbullying, you are not alone.

What is cyberbullying? 

Cyberbullying is a kind of negative online social interaction which affects a large number of young people. When an individual or group uses technology (internet, mobile phones, computers) to intentionally hurt or intimidate another person or group of people — that’s cyberbullying.

In many cases, cyberbullying is a crime and should be reported to the police.

If it happens to you, know that you are not alone. Cyberbullying can happen to anyone. It can be upsetting and stressful, lead to anxiety and depression, and impact areas of your life including self-esteem, relationships, work and study. If you have experienced or witnessed cyberbullying, help available and understand your rights.

What does cyberbullying look or sound like?

Cyberbullying is much like typical bullying, the only difference is that it takes place online through technology. It can also be accompanied by in-person aggressive behaviours or abuse.

Cyberbullying includes harassment through social posts, videos, messages, and webpages, or image-based abuse, often causing distress and embarrassment to those on the receiving end.

Common forms of cyberbullying include: 

• Cyberstalking: the repeated use of electronic communications to harass or frighten someone, for example by sending threatening emails
• Harassment: aggressive pressure or intimidation
• Doxing: searching for and publishing private or identifying information about a particular individual on the internet, typically with ill intent.
• Flaming: posting personal insults and vulgar and angry words. Flaming is an intense argument that normally takes place in chatrooms or via instant messages or email
• Catfishing: used by online predators to lure or trick people into starting online relationships

Learn more about different types of cyberbullying here. 

How does cyberbullying affect people? 

Cyber bullying can affect people in different ways, and is often associated with feelings of helplessness, sadness and fear. If you’re experiencing cyberbullying, you might feel:

• Guilty and blame yourself
• Hopeless and trapped as though you can’t get out of the situation
• As though you don’t fit in with your peers
• Depressed and rejected 
• Unsafe and afraid
• Stressed out and wondering why this is happening to you
• Self harming/suicidal thoughts and behaviours
• Feel a negative impact on the quality of your relationships with family, peers and authority figures

What are the warning signs of cyberbullying?

If you’re worried about a friend or a loved one, who isn’t their usual self and you think that cyberbullying may be the cause, there are some common signs to watch out for.

Signs of cyberbullying include: 

• Abnormal withdrawal from social activities, friends and/or family
• Sudden lack of interest in using their mobile phone, computer or other devices
• Disinterest or avoidance in going to school, sports, or other recreational activities
• Nervous or jumpy when a text message or email is received
• Unusual sleep patterns (sleeping a lot more or staying awake all night)
• Self harming behaviours
• Moodiness

How can I deal with cyberbullying?

Dealing with cyberbullying may seem like a daunting or impossible task. Experiences of bullying can make us feel powerless, overwhelmed and alone; however, there are many steps, support networks, helplines you can engage with to help you deal with the harassment you’re facing.

• Talk to someone you trust: like a close friend, sibling, parent, or teacher
• Don’t retaliate or respond: this may make the situation worse and be used against you
• Screenshot the abuse: this will help if you need to report them later 
• Block the bully: change your privacy settings
• Report the abuse: to the service (such as the social media platform, your mobile phone network, or moderator) and if necessary, contact the police
• Keep a record: take screenshots of the messages and conversations, so that if you need to prove the harassment took place, you have clear evidence

@southaustraliapolice Here’s what you need to know if you, or someone you know, is being cyber bullied‼️#cybersecurity #cyberbullying #safety #foryou #fyp ♬ original sound – SAPOL

Helpful resources

• To get an insight into your rights and the law, visit the Human Rights Commission website
• Understand the different forms of cyberbullying 
• For tips on how to respond to cyberbullying, go to eheadspace
• To better understand your privacy and security settings options, read more here

Remember, cyberbullying is a crime and can be reported. No one deserves to be harassed, intimidated, threatened, or embarrassed online.

Where to get help

If you or someone you know is experiencing bullying, don’t be silent about it. If someone’s behaviour is making you uncomfortable, don’t be afraid to take the situation to someone in authority, who can solve the problem.

• Talk to a trusted teacher, a family member, your coach, manager or a good friend about what’s going on.
  
  
• If you need to, you could also talk to a professional from youth organisations including Kids Helpline, Headspace and ReachOut. They have trained counsellors available to talk you through any kind of problem, so don’t be shy.