Bullying is an unwanted, aggressive, repeated behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. In order to be considered bullying, it must be agressive and repeated over time. There are four types:
Verbal: saying or writing mean things. It includes teasing, name-calling, inappropriate sexual comments, taunting and threatening to cause harm. Social: involves hurting someone's reputation or relationships. It includes leaving someone out on purpose, telling other children not to be friends with someone, spreading rumors and embarrasing someone in public. Physical: involves hurting a persons's body or possessions. It includes hitting, kicking, pinching, spitting, tripping and pushing. It also includes taking or breaking someone's things and making mean or rude hand gestures. Cyber: the newest form of bullying. It takes place using electronic devices, including cell phones, computers, tablets as well as communication tools such as social media sites, like facebook and instagram, and text messaging, chatting, websites and gaming. It includes mean text messages or emails, rumors sent by email or posted on social networking sites, embarrasing pictures, videos, websites or fake profiles.
Cyberbullying is different than traditional bullying in a few ways. When a child is cyberbullied, they are often being bullied in person as well. Additionally, kids who are cyberbullied have a harder time getting away from the behavior
Cyberbullying can happen 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and reach a kid even whe he or she is alone. It can happen any time day or night.
Messages can be posted anonymously and distributed quickly to a very wide audience. It can be difficult and possibly impossible to track the source.
Deleting inappropriate or harassing messages, texts and pictures is extremely difficult after they have been posted.