What is cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is repeated activity using information and communication technology, such as social networking sites, instant messaging, or SMS text messages, for deliberate, repeated, hostile behaviour by an individual or group targeting another person or persons with intent to harm. Cyberbullying usually takes the form of harassment, intimidation, denigration, threats, impersonation, or rumours and falsehoods intended to damage reputations or friendships.

The term "cyberbullying" is normally used in cases in which a child or a teenager is targeted by another child or teenager or by a group of children or teenagers. If the victim and perpetrator(s) are adults, the conduct is more properly referred to as cyber-harassment or cyber-stalking.

Cyberbullying is characterised by repeated physical or mental harassment through information and communication technology systems. It can involve false accusations, threats, identity theft, damage to data or equipment, solicitation for sex, gathering information in order to harass, or sharing images of a person in an embarrassing situation without their permission. Sometimes cyberbullies impersonate their target and set up website accounts in the victim’s name. These accounts are then used to make harmful comments about the victim’s friends on social networking sites or in chat rooms. The very nature of the Internet enables malicious information to be spread quickly and widely. Though similar in some ways to conventional playground bullying, cyberbullying is permanent, as information placed online can be difficult or impossible to remove completely.

Cyberbullying can result in the victim experiencing fear, and suffering depression and loss of self-esteem. In the most serious cases, the victim of cyberbullying may be driven to commit suicide,  particularly when a number of people gang up to persistently ridicule, belittle or demean the victim, and especially when the bullying involves allegations of sexual conduct.