Cyberbullying Definition

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The world of cyberspace is one of the influential factors nowadays that contribute to the changes in a person’s behaviour. The development of cell phones and online communication and social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter led to rapid exchange of information that gave bullies a new way of causing harm and uneasiness to others: cyberbullying. Cyberbullying differ from the traditional bullying in terms of the form, scope and medium used. With the use of latest online applications and communication gadgets, bullies no longer need to face their victims, making cyberbullying a worldwide problem that needs immediate solution.
In the field of online communication, social networking sites are the latest trend today. Danah M. Boyd and …show more content…

According to Robert S. Tokunaga (2009), author of Following you home from school: A critical review and synthesis of research on cyberbullying victimization, cyberbullying is done by intentionally and repeatedly causing harm and discomfort to a person through communication using electronic or digital media, where the identity of the bully may be known or concealed. Yun-yin Huang and Chien Chou (2010) said that the tools that are being used in this bullying behaviour in cyberspace are Internet applications (instant messengers, social networking sites, chat room, e-mails), cell phones and other information technology, resulting to rapid dissemination and …show more content…

Fifty-eight percent of the respondents said they have their own mobile phones, with approximately 40 percent of them use their phones in school. Almost 25 percent of students aged 12–14 years reported that they have cyber-bullied others online, with fewer students aged 11 (17 percent) and 15 (19 percent) reporting such online behaviour. For those who admitted that they cyber-bullied others, 14 percent said they cyber-bullied because they did not like the person, 13 percent said it was because that person upset them; 10 percent admitted they were bullied first, so it was acceptable to bully back; 9 percent claimed that since their friends had bullied others online, it was acceptable behaviour and 7 percent reveal they did it because it was fun (Cassidy, W., Jackson, M. and Brown, K.,