By Lauren Groff
As children’s internet access has increased, so too have incidents of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying can be defined as bullying behaviour that takes place via a digital medium such as a social media site, messaging apps, or texts. So far, society has mainly focused on how to protect the victims, but now the spotlight has begun to shift to the cyberbullies themselves in the hope that understanding the motives behind the actions can help to solve the issue.
1. Seeking Revenge
Cyberbullying is sometimes used by victims of bullying in an effort to ‘right the wrong.’ In this case, the cyberbully may target their own bully, or victimise an individual who they see as ‘weak.’ These kids may think that their behaviour protects them from being bullied again, and that their actions are justified due to their past experiences.
Children who become a cyberbully after having been the victim of bullying themselves are often experiencing very difficult emotions; it can be easier to perpetuate the bullying rather than processing these feelings.
Sometimes, when kids feel bad about themselves, it’s easier to harass or shame someone else than it is to deal with their feelings and to make needed changes. Low self-esteem, and the related issues of anxiety and depression, are thought to be prevalent in many cyberbullies and can occur for a myriad of reasons, from having been a victim of bullying to dealing with a break-up at home.
2. Feelings of Boredom
It’s easy now to access the internet as a source of entertainment. Some children cyberbully due to boredom, and because of the ease with which the web can be accessed, it’s an obvious go-to. Some kids turn to the internet if they feel deprived of attention at home. With just a few clicks, cyberbullies can instigate drama as a way to receive the attention they feel they are lacking.
3. Pressure From Peers
It can be exceptionally difficult for a child or teenager (or adult, for that matter) to take a stand when they witness behavior from their peers that makes them uncomfortable. Pressure from classmates or friends to join a cyberbullying culture, where things like increased trolling or flaming can be very powerful.
Peer pressure is a powerful motivator for kids to cyberbully. As things like online stalking and spreading malicious rumours over the internet have become a seemingly common practice, kids who are at the ‘top’ of their peer group may feel the need to engage in these behaviours in order to fit into a perceived norm and protect their status.
4. Inability To Properly Empathise
It can be difficult to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, and some kids simply have trouble in today’s digital world with conceptualising how their actions or comments online can cause real distress for someone in the real world. It’s easy to create a different persona online – and that actions taken online are somehow not tangibly ‘real.’
5. Mental Health Issues
Some kids are living with that may have gone undiagnosed, and cyberbullying may be symptomatic of these issues. Speak to your child’s doctor if you’re concerned about these issues, as some mental health problems that are characterised by a lack of empathy include serious personality disorders.
6. The Shield Of Anonymity
The ability to in why children get involved in cyberbullying; anonymity can lead kids to believe they have the power to act and comment without limitation, and also that they won’t be caught and held accountable.
“The very nature of cyberbullying keeps your true identity masked,” says Edith Frazer, an education expert at Bigassignments. “We are increasingly seeing children participate in digital harassment who would probably not bully in ‘real’ life.’”
What You Can Do
As you learn these 6 reasons why children cyberbully, it’s also important to look for possible signs that you can start observing today:
- Immediately hides or switches screens on their device(s)
- Doesn’t like talking about what they do online
- Becomes unusually angry and/or toxic when they can’t use their device(s)
- Is suspected to have multiple online accounts, or has someone else’s account
If you see any of these signs, then it’s time to talk to your children about what they’re doing online, even if they insist that everything is okay.
Understanding The Perpetrator
It is natural to think of cyberbullies as individuals who need to be caught and held accountable – and this is largely true. However, there is a bigger picture: in order to eradicate online bullying, we also need to look at the motivations behind the action. The bullies themselves may be experiencing significant difficulties that require support.
That’s why it’s important to offer your children support – NOT in cyberbully – but in loving and caring for them. If there are any issues that they might be facing, then get to the bottom of it and see to it that they’re resolved. But again, be loving and caring for your child. Remember, those who are hardest to love need love the most.
It is this support and understanding that could hold the key to making the online world a safer place for our children!
For additional information and resources, check out our books, Noah’s New Phone: A Story About Using Technology for Good and Conversations with My Kids: 30 Essential Family Discussions for the Digital Age
Lauren Groff is a content writer at Paper writing service and Coursework writing service, and an editor at Essay Help. Lauren writes book reviews. She is interested in, and has written widely on, education and business.
