Although some consider bullying just a normal part of growing up, today’s form of bullying isn’t what it used to be.  Welcome to the world of cyber bullying.  Cyber bullying takes “normal” hurtful comments and actions completely out of context and to a whole new level.

Cyber bullying is much different than physical bullying.  Bullies are mostly encountered in a school setting, however, through the use of cell phones and the Internet cyber bullies can be everywhere.  In this day and age, it is not uncommon for teenagers to engage in social networking.  According to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, Though there are many advantages to using social networks, there are also disadvantages, one being cyber bullying.

Cyber bullying is defined as actions that use information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group, which is intended to harm another person. Examples of cyber bullying include communications that seek to intimidate, control, manipulate, put down, falsely discredit, or humiliate the recipient.  Whether it is Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or text messaging, if someone sends another person something with the intention of harming him or her, whether it is physically or emotionally, it is cyber bullying.

Cyber bullying has different characteristics than physical bullying.  Unlike physical bullying, cyber bullies can remain practically anonymous, which in turn enable cyber bullies from having restrictions on their behavior.

If you find yourself a victim of cyber bullying, there are a few things that can be done.  Tell a trusted adult about the bullying and continue to do so until the adult takes action, do not open or read messages by cyber bullies, tell your teachers and other school administrators if the bullying is school related, do not erase the messages as they may be used as evidence, if you are threatened with harm, inform the local police.  By combined efforts, cyber bullying can soon become a thing of the past.