Running head: CYBERBULLYING

Cyberbullying: A Review of the Literature

Jessica Morales
English 1312
Elizabeth Lang
University of Texas at El Paso

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Abstract

Bullying has been around for as long as anyone can remember but in this new day in age it has
evolved into Cyberbullying. It is only in recent years Cyberbullying has begun to receive serious
research attention. Today, Cyberbullying is recognized as a worldwide issue for children and
youth around the globe. Media attention to the tragic deaths of youth who were victims of
Cyberbullying has raised public awareness in all around the world. Although questions still
outnumber answers, we are only beginning to unravel the many truths of Cyberbullying and
victimization that American youth are facing. With this knowledge, we are also beginning to find
effective ways to reduce bullying. As a result organizations as well as preventative measures and
standards have been developed to reduce the impact Cyberbullying. This literature review
provides information on what Cyberbullying is. It recognizes who is at risk at becoming Cyber
bully or a victim. It also provides all the consequences of Cyberbullying and what is currently
available to prevent Cyberbullying.

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Cyberbullying: A Review of the Literature

Americas K-12 students have become avid users of technology, but along with their
technology use has come technology abuse.(Conn, 2010, p. 92) One unfortunate development
from the rapid use of technology is the emergence of Cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is affecting
American youth lives every year leading them to devastating consequences such as suicide. As a
result, Cyberbullying is becoming a bigger problem than ever before. In order to better
understand what Cyberbullying is, how it happens, who is at risk for Cyberbullying, the dangers
of Cyberbullying, and how Cyberbullying can be prevented, the four questions will be answered:
1. What is Cyberbullying, how and where does it happen?
2. Who is at risk at being a Cyber bully or becoming a victim?
3. What are the consequences of Cyberbullying?
4. What is available to help prevent Cyberbullying?
The following literature review will focus on these questions and will provide information about
Cyberbullying.
What is Cyberbullying, how and where does it happen?
Bullying, which is a type of aggressive behavior, has now entered the electronic age in the form
of Cyberbullying. (Snakenborg, Acker, & Gable, 2011, p.91) Cyberbullying can be defined as
an aggressive, intentional act carried out by a group or individual, using electronic forms of
contact, repeatedly, and over time against a victim who cannot easily defend him or herself

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(Harmon, 2004, para. 4) This definition refers directly to the definition of traditional bullying but
the only difference is that technological devices are used for carrying out the attacks. People are
cyber bullied when an individual uses the Internet or other technologies to harm other people, in
a deliberate, repeated, and hostile manner. There are many forms of Cyberbullying, such as
flaming, harassment, denigration, impersonation, outing and trickery, cyber stalking, and
exclusion. (Paul, 2010, para. 5) Flaming is online "fighting" using electronic messages with
angry, vulgar language.( Paul, 2010) Harassment is when someone repeatedly sends offensive,
rude, and insulting messages like spreading lies and rumors about victims or sending and
forwarding harmful or cruel text messages or images. Denigration is when someone distributes
information about another that is derogatory and untrue through posting it on a Web page,
sending it to others through email or instant messaging, or posting or sending digitally altered
photos of someone. (Heirman & Walrave, 2008) Impersonation is when someone breaks into an
email or social networking account and using that person's online identity to send or post vicious
or embarrassing material to and about others. Outing and trickery is when someone shares
secrets or embarrassing information, or tricking someone into revealing secrets or embarrassing
information and forwarding it to others. Cyber stalking is when someone repeatedly sends
messages that include threats of harm or are highly intimidating, or engaging in other online
activities that make a person afraid for his or her safety. (Paul, 2010) Exclusion is when
someone intentionally excluding someone from an online group. (Hoffman, 2010) Todays
computers and cell phones are the most commonly used media in Cyberbullying. There are many
places online where Cyberbullying can occur. Cyberbullying can take place in chat rooms, social
networking sites, blogs, and even emails. It can also occur with the use of instant messaging and

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text messaging. Cyberbullying most often occurs on personal websites such as social networking
websites. Cyberbullying most often occurs when children are at home but it can also take place
at school. Cyberbullying assaults can occur at any time and in any place that the target has
access to electronic communication. Messages or images sent electronically can reach multiple
people concurrently, increasing the number of witnesses to the degradation of the target.
(Ahlfors, 2010, p. 517). Cyberbullying can happen 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and reach a
kid even when he or she is alone and can also spread much quicker than it would in person. It
can be difficult and sometimes impossible to trace the source and since new media and cell
phones are harder to track and monitor.
Who is at risk at being a Cyber bully or becoming a victim?
Cyberbullying can happen anywhere, but depending on the environment, some groups may be at
an increased risk. Teens that run into difficulties online often have personal situations that make
them more vulnerable to being participants in or victims of Cyberbullying In general, teens who
are at risk in other areas of life are the mostly likely to engage in Cyberbullying, either as victims
or as cyber bullies themselves.. At-risk teens are those who face major ongoing challenges
related to personal mental health and disruptions in relations with parents, school and or peers.
(Agosto, Forte, & Magee, 2012). According to Heirman and Walrave (2008), offline bullies are
five times as likely to bully others online. While offline bullies are more likely to engage in
Cyberbullying, victim reports indicated that cyber bullies are known bullies from school only
50% of the time, with strangers and siblings making up the other. (U.S Department of
Educations National Center for Education Statistics, 2011) Cyber bullies tend to have poor

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relationships with their caregivers. Cyber bullies are more likely to engage in delinquent
behavior and frequent substance abuse. They also are more likely to be frequent daily internet
users. There are two types of kids who are more likely to bully others some are well-connected to
their peers, have social power, are overly concerned about their popularity, and like to dominate
or be in charge of others. (Snakenborg, Van Acker, & Gable, 2011, p. 92) Others are more
isolated from their peers and may be depressed or anxious, have low self-esteem, be less
involved in school, be easily pressured by peers, or not identify with the emotions or feelings of
others. (Conn, 2010) Also bullies tend to be more aggressive, have less parental involvement at
home or have issues at home, think badly of others, have difficulty following rules, view
violence in a positive way, and have friends who bully others. (Ahlfors, 2010) Based on a review
of the Cyberbullying research by DAntona , Kevorkian & Russom, they concluded that teens
who are likely to be bullying targets in the offline world are in fact the most vulnerable in online
environments (2010). Generally, children who are bullied are perceived as different from their
peers, such as being overweight or underweight, wearing glasses or different clothing, being new
to a school, or being unable to afford what kids consider cool, people who are perceived as
weak or unable to defend themselves, are depressed, anxious, have low self-esteem, those who
are less popular than others, have few friends, those who do not get along well with others, are
seen as annoying or provoking, and those who antagonize others for attention. (Conn, 2010, p.
96) Cyber bullies victims are as likely to be female as male and are more likely to be older teens
than younger children. Engaging in risky online behaviors also leads to increased Cyberbullying
victimization. Approximately half of the victims of Cyberbullying are also targets of traditional
bullying. (Cyberbullying statistics, 2012) Victims are generally unpopular, isolated, depressed,

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anxious, and fearful to their peers. Youth most at risk for Cyberbullying include vulnerable or
immature teens who lack sufficient knowledge and skills to engage in effective decision making,
youth who have temporarily impaired relations with parents or peers and are currently
emotionally upset, and youth who face ongoing challenges related to personal mental health and
disruptions in relations with parents, school, and or peers. (Ahlfors, 2010, p.517) Depending
on the environment, some group, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered (LGBT) youth,
youth with disabilities, and socially isolated youth, may be at an increased risk of being bullied.
(Agosto, Forte, & Magee, 2012, p. 41)
What are the consequences of Cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying is increasingly common online, and its harms and consequences are very real.
While educators generally support most student use of technology, the reality is that technology
use among American K-12 students has its dark side and student technology abuses are
rampant. (Conn, 2010, p. 95).Cyberbullying can affect everyone, those who are bullied, those
who bully, and those who witness bullying (Harmon, 2004). Cyberbullying is linked to many
negative outcomes, outcomes which have devastating psychological and emotional effects.
Whether its the victim of Cyberbullying or the bully itself, the consequences of Cyberbullying
can forever change their lives. Studies show that teens who were exposed to Cyberbullying felt
feelings such as sadness, anxiety, depression, anger, shame, fear frustration, low self-esteem, and
the inability to trust others ( U.S Department of Justice, 2012). Most often when these negative
emotions arent dealt with properly the victims may resort to withdrawal, seclusion, avoidance of
social relationships, poor academic performance, and bullying others(Paul, 2010, para. 5).

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Cyberbullying can cause a victim to isolate themselves, suffer from health problems, and in
extreme cases cause a victim of Cyberbullying to take their own life. It can lead to reduced
academic performance, emotional distress, reduced self-esteem, and a range of other negative
mental and physical health effects. Severe and sustained Cyberbullying attacks have even been
linked to increased incidence of adolescent suicide (Agosto, Forte, & Magee, 2012). More and
more often we see victims end their lives because of Cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is associated
with various academic and social problems. They range from withdrawal from school activities,
school absence, and school failure, to eating disorders, substance abuse, depression, and even
suicide (Conn, 2010). Youth who experience Cyberbullying are more likely to carry weapons to
school, to skip school or be suspended from school and to use alcohol or other substances
(Ahlfors, 2010). Besides the effects that the victims of Cyberbullying might face, Cyber bullies
face very serious consequences. Many cases of cyber bullying include some form of hacking,
password or identity theft, or stalking, all of which carry criminal charges (Dntona,
Kevorkian, & Russom, 2010, p.524). Law enforcement, including the FBI, might get involved.
Potential consequences cyber bullies might face is federal charges, prosecution under stalker
laws, school suspension, and even internet service provider account closure. (Hoffman, 2010)
The greatest danger of the social web is not predators but what kids do to themselves and each
other, says Anne Collier, a web safety expert and the editor of Net Family News. (PBS, 2010)
By all accounts, Cyberbullying is an increasingly serious public mental health problem with
sometime devastating consequences. In face-to-face interactions our behaviors are influenced
by the emotional reactions of others, but in a virtual environment communication is mainly

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indirect and it is difficult to understand a persons emotions or really understand the

consequences of one persons behavior (Ahlfors, 2010, p.518).
What is available to help prevent Cyberbullying?
Researchers generally agree that educating young people is a key to increasing their online safety
and privacy, and this is particularly true for Cyberbullying prevention. As Agosto, Forte and
Magee wrote Educating teens about Cyberbullying can help victims realize that the aggression
is not their fault. (2012) Future Cyberbullying can be minimized if they learn how to recognize
the attacks, how to deal with them, and how to stop the bully from contacting them in the future.
(Conn, 2010) In addition to policies and procedures related to Cyberbullying, school
administrators should consider efforts to educate students on the proper use of electronic media
and ways to prevent and address Cyberbullying. (Ahlfors, 2010, p.513) Several curriculum
based programs that purport to address Cyberbullying in schools have been developed. Examples
include the iSAFE Internet Safety Program, Cyber Bullying: A Prevention Curriculum Sticks and
Stones: Cyberbullying and Lets Fight It Together: What We All Can Do to Prevent
Cyberbullying (Ahlfors, 2010, p.513). Typically, these programs involve video or Webisodes
related to Cyberbullying and a series of scripted lessons to help students discuss issues related to
Cyberbullying and efforts to prevent and how to address Cyberbullying when it occurs. Each of
these programs has the potential to be used as a standalone intervention to help prevent
Cyberbullying or they can be embedded within a larger school wide antibullying program.
Although the best defense against Cyberbullying is educating teens beforehand to prevent it from
occurring in the first place, when online aggression does occur among teens in school, most

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school officials are required to report it. (Conn, 2010) Laws and policies requiring school
employees to report Cyberbullying vary from state to state and from institution to institution. 44
states currently have legislation that addresses school bullying, harassment, and intimidation
(U.S Department of Justice, 2012 ) In 2008, Congress passed the Protecting Children in the 21st
Century legislation, which among other issues, addresses Cyberbullying. (Snakenborg, Van
Acker, & Gable, 2011, p. 89) To remedy this situation, some states are developing specic
Cyberbullying legislation. For example, North Carolina has enacted the Protect Our
Kids/Cyberbullying Legislation making it a misdemeanor to engage in Cyberbullying. (Conn,
2010, p.96) In Missouri, Cyberbullying is a crime that can result in jail time, nes or both (Conn,
2010, p.96). Other states including Ohio and Virginia have amended existing legislation to
address Cyberbullying. Virtually all states have enacted laws that require school districts to have
some kind of policy that addresses the evils of school-based bullying. Besides protection from
Cyberbullying in school, there are a number of Cyberbullying prevention and intervention
websites that have been developed and are currently available on the World Wide Web. (Ahlfors,
2010, p.514) Besides websites, one readily accessible process available to anyone who is
targeted by a cyber-bully is to simply block further e-mails, instant messages, or phone calls
from that individual or screen name. Thus, education in the use of blocking and reporting
strategies alone may do little to curtail Cyberbullying.(Ahlfors, 2010, p. 518) Also since
Cyberbullying usually occurs when adults are not present, parents must play a more active role in
monitoring their son or daughters online usage. In fact, parental monitoring can reduce the
probability that a youth will bully online by as much as 50% (Cyberbullying Research Center,
n.d). All students must be taught ways to respond appropriately to Cyberbullying and potential

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bullies must recognize there are serious consequences associated with such behavior, including
school discipline, litigation, and criminal prosecution.
Figure 1. Pie Charts depicting responses to survey conducted by author

The author conducted a survey using the following questions:

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1. Have you ever bullied someone?

2. If you are Cyberbullying victim how did you think they feel, if not how do you think they
felt?
3. If youve been Cyberbullied did you report it, If not would you report it if you were to be
Cyberbullied?
4. Have you or someone you know been a victim of Cyberbullying?
Out of 20 students 59% said theyve bullied someone on the internet, 75% said theyve wouldnt
report it, and 77% said they know a victim of Cyberbullying. When asked how they thought
Cyberbullying victims felt the majority was sad with 75%, following feeling angry by 15%.
These results cannot account for the entire UTEP community but they do demonstrate that
Cyberbullying is affecting lot of students. The date showed that Cyberbullying is more common,
and that can also be true for most American teens,20% of teens have engaged in Cyberbullying

behaviors, including posting mean or hurtful information or embarrassing pictures, spreading

rumors, publicizing private communications, sending anonymous e-mails or cyber pranking
someone. (PBS, 2012) The data collected also concluded that most students dont report
Cyberbullying in the UTEP community but that can also true for most American teens, only 1 in
10 teens tells a parent if they have been a cyber bully victim. While these results cannot prove for
most American teens they do prove to agree with most data collected for larger populations of
American teens.

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Conclusion

Bullying has been around for centuries however Cyberbullying is only starting to emerge as a
serious problem. We live in an electronic world and no matter what we do, we cant get away
from it because using the internet has become a daily way of life. This generation has become
solely dependent on technology and the more advanced technology becomes, the more it seems
to have control over our lives. Cyber bullying is becoming more of a problem for American
youth than ever before. We cant keep our children and younger family members away from the
internet but we can take steps to make sure they are not involved in Cyberbullying. Researching
and more studies on Cyberbullying from the government can prove to help American youth from
engaging in Cyberbullying. Teens educating themselves first can prove to be the biggest thing
they can do for themselves so they dont engage in something dangerous like Cyberbullying.

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