Any user of social networks discovers one day that technological progress may enhance not only the best but also the worst personal traits. This way bullying has moved from offline to online and taken on new forms.
Cyberbullying is a form of harassment or bullying in an online environment via email, text messages, social media or websites. A VK study found that in 2023, 33% of people surveyed had been victims of cyberbullying - that's one in three people.
Let's understand the consequences victims of cyberbullying face and why bullying should not be tolerated, whether it's against yourself, your friends or family members, or even strangers.
Types of Cyberbullying
To understand the effects cyberbullying has on victims, you need to understand what types of online bullying they face.
- Personal and Public Abuse. This is the most common form of cyberbullying. Victims receive insulting comments about their appearance, intelligence, personality and lifestyle.
- Gossips or Slander. Victims suffer false accusations that can damage their reputation.
- Leaking Personal Photographs or Videos. Photos or videos which may compromise victims are sent out or posted without their consent.
- Fake Profiles. These can be either victims’ fake pages created, for example, for spreading disinformation, or anonymous accounts aimed at blackmail and intimidation.
- Extortion or Blackmail. Victims are subjected to intimidation and threats. For example, this could be extortion of money in exchange for returning access to a hacked account or photos, or a demand to do something against their will in exchange for silence.
How Do Victims of Cyberbullying Feel?
The actions of aggressors almost always lead to serious psycho-emotional disorders. In addition, victims of cyberbullying may face physical consequences and threats.
- Victims of cyberbullying experience a range of negative emotions such as anger, shame, guilt, fear, resentment and worry. This can lead to serious psychological consequences such as anxiety disorder and depression.
- Victims of cyberbullying often start having self-esteem problems and lower levels of self-confidence. Some victims may feel unworthy of love, friendship or success. Some victims may blame themselves for what has happened and think they deserve it
- Cyberbullying can lead to suicidal thoughts.
- In some cases, cyberbullying may have physical consequences. For example, victims may be targeted for bullying or assault in real life.
- Victims of online bullying may have trouble concentrating. If the bullying also takes place offline, students may start missing class, which can lead to lower academic performance.
What Are the Consequences for Bullies?
If you are a victim of cyberbullying, you can collect evidence of the bullying and contact police. In Russia, liability for cyberbullying is regulated by Articles 110, 119, 128.1, 151, 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Any type of online insult, such as cyberbullying, cybermobbing or trolling, is covered by Article 5.61 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation.
- For insults or statements that undermine the honor and dignity of a particular user or group of people, people over the age of 16 are fined up to 3,000 rubles.
- Slander or spreading false information that undermines reputation and defames honor is considered a criminal offence and the punishment for it is more severe - the perpetrator faces a fine of 500,000 to 5 million rubles, depending on the severity of the circumstances.
- Threats - that is, any expressed intention to cause physical harm to the life and health of a specific user - are punished most severely. The culprit may face up to 2 years of imprisonment and correctional labor with restrictions on future professional activities.
Cyberbullying is a serious problem faced by millions of children and teenagers around the world.
The consequences of cyberbullying may be limited to negative emotions or lower academic performance, but in the worst cases, bullying can escalate into the real world.
We recommend that you do not wait for the situation to resolve itself, but take action. Especially if the victim of bullying is a child. It is important to remember that the best way to prevent bullying is to build trust in the family. After all, it is often because of a lack of trust that teenagers do not turn to their parents for help and try to deal with the problem on their own.