Cyberbullying And Privacy: A Gift Of Fire

The internet creates significant distance between the cyberbully and his or her victim, allowing the bully to never have to see the outcome of their harassment. A Gift of Fire quotes Jim Hightower, a radio commentator in 1995, who said “While all this razzle-dazzle connects us electronically, it disconnects us from each other, having us ‘interfacing’ more with computers and TV screens than looking in the face of our fellow human beings. Is this progress?” (Baase). Hightower’s quote describes one of the main elements that makes cyberbullying so dangerous- it disconnects us from the emotions and reactions of others. The bully no longer has to witness the breakdown of their victim and can go about their life without ever having to see the damage they caused.

However, the “anonymity can increase the feelings of fear and insecurity among the victims” because they have no way of knowing who is bullying them or how to go about identifying them (Bottino). The insecurity stems from the fact that the perpetrator could be of any age or gender and could have any number of relations to the victim, which also increases the victims’ fear for their personal safety (Bottino). The bully does not even need to know the victim at all other than knowing their username or contact information. The anonymity provided by the internet makes it easier for the cyberbully to harass their victims without feeling as much guilt, while the victims cannot escape their aggressors, identify them, or know who is