Cyberstalking is a subject that has made the headlines a lot, although it is only the modern version of a bad practice known to all. Unfortunately, harassment and bullying have been part of human existence since time immemorial. It is therefore not surprising that this behavior is enjoying a new lease of life on the various social media platforms.
But what made online bullying even more cruel than its offline predecessor?
Cyberstalking uses technologies like mobile phones and the Internet to harass and intimidate a victim. This can cause anxiety, depression, and even self-harm in victims. For younger kids growing up in the digital age, it can be hard to escape it as they face it.Before the age of the Internet, bullying ended once you left a particular setting or situation; however, cyberbullying is constant. With over
exposed to repeated harassment via their telephones or via the Internet, the harassment can continue 4 hours a day. Adults too can be exposed to ongoing abuse on social media or other online platforms. We usually hear about the problem when a celebrity is forced to.because of the abuse it suffers, but everyday people discover that the internet can be a hostile place.
What makes online bullying such a problem?
Anonymity behind the screenAnonymity makes online harassment much easier for its perpetrators. Being able to use fake profiles or private numbers allows them to choose their victims without revealing their identity.Stalkers believe they are protected if they use a fake name or account to attack others. Disclaimer promotes cyberbullying in online culture. But activities on the Internet can still be traced, even using an account with a fake name. It is sometimes possible to trace the harassers through e-mail addresses or IP addresses.
The consequences are less obvious
Online stalkers don’t see how their victims react in real life, so they don’t see the real damage they can cause. Studies have also shown that young people who are perpetrators of cyberbullying demonstrate
than those who don’t.
Young people may not realize the long-term effects of their actions on the victim, especially if they are bullying someone they have never met.The impact of cyberbullying on victims can be all the greater because it is exposed to a large audience. Bullies can post things online that will haunt the victim for years, but they can forget about those actions very quickly. This lack of realization facilitates cyberbullying because one does not think about the consequences of one’s actions.
It’s harder to spot
One of the difficulties with cyberbullying is that it can be difficult to trace or measure, particularly in relation to young people. . Cyberbullying can leave deep scars, but the problem can be hard to spot, especially if the victim refuses to report it.It can be difficult for parents to come to grips with the problem, especially if they don’t know a problem exists. One of the best ways for parents to monitor their children’s digital lives is through communication. Have discussions about their online activities and watch for disturbing behavior that may indicate a problem.
Harassment is a vicious cycle
The notion of victims of harassment is not new. It describes people who are victims of harassment in a given situation, but also those who practice harassment in another situation. They can be victims online as well as in real life. To defend themselves from their own experience, they begin to harass in turn and the Internet offers them a whole range of potential victims on whom to vent their frustrations.If one in three young people have been exposed to online threats, that’s a lot of people who have been harassed or abused online. And the chances that the percentage of these victims will increase over time are extremely high.
