Communication technologies and Cyberbullying

No doubt, technology has completely transformed human living.People’s lifestyle, habits, and interest are changing with every new change in the technological world. It has brought significant change in the social life of people and their ways of communication. These communication technologies facilitate communication at the same they are creating problem and unease for the people in terms of cyberbullying. These communication technologies have given birth to several crimes known as cyber crimes, but cyberbullying is on the top and has the long term effects on the person who got bullied. This cyberbullying has become the dark side of communication technologies. The first thing we all need to understand is that what is cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying:

Cyberbullying is the bullying done through digital platforms and digital devices like cell phone, computer, tablets, and other gadgets. Cyberbullying includes scaring messages and harmful and hurting content about social media such as  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and other online forums. We can also say that cyberbullying or cyber crime is negative usage of digital media and communication technologies. According to UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund),cyberbullying is done on messaging platforms, gaming platforms and social media. Cyberbullying is repeated behaviour done to scare or threaten someone or let the targeted person feel shame, embarrass or anger.

Methods of cyberbullying:

These are the following methods through which cyberbullying is being done.

Harassment:

Harassment is the most common type of cyberbullying. Harassment in cyberbullying has different faces. Sometimes it is done repeatedly and again reporting targeted persons account and posts; sometimes,a bullying gang collectively sends hundreds and thousands of texts which creates emotional distress. Posting false rumours and embarrassing information is also included in harassment or cyberbullying.

Impersonation:

Impersonation in cyberbullying includes posting wrong pictures or comments with the targeted persons name, or hacking victims password and texting others and posting unethical content pretending victim.

Inappropriate photographs:

Another cyberbullying method includes posting inappropriate pictures of the victim on social media or posting nude, inappropriate pictures, and sexual content from victims’ accounts or names. Treating or blackmailing the victim about their inappropriate pictures or through sexting.

Video shaming:

Recording humiliating video or the victim or creating an embarrassing situation and recording it then later on using that video to blackmail the victim or post it on social media or to a bigger audience on YouTube to bully the victim.

Effects of cyberbullying:

Cyberbullying badly affects the targeted person. Here are some effects of cyberbullying added in a research assignment of essay writing service UK.

Depression:

The victim of cyberbullying face number or mental illness and emotional distress. The victims become depressed and in many cases,committed suicide due to mental stress. Due to cyberbullying the rate of depression and anxiety is increasing.

Health issues:

The children or person who is bullied also have a higher number of physical issues like headache and stomachache. Due to mental health issues, physical health is also affected.

Behavioural changes:

The victim of cyberbullying also has behavioural changes; for instance,they started avoiding social gatherings or going into public. They tried to keep their mobile phone, laptop and other theses types of gadgets away from their parents. Everyone and everything starred irritating them. They become angry or started losing temper on unnecessary or unimportant things. These behavioural changes made them an odd one out, increasing their mental stress and leading them to take any serious or dangerous step.

Worthless:

The person who is bullied become doubtful about their selves and personality. They faced strong dissatisfaction about their presences and stared, thinking their selves worthless. They have a sense of feeling that they are vulnerable. And these thoughts resulted in the worst situation. The victim tried to harm their self. For example, pointing out or bullying someone because of third appearance, height, or colour, which is also included in racism, make the bullied person think about such things that stressed them out also they start thinking that their life and their presence means nothing not no more important.

Disinterested:

Cyberbullied person loses their interest in every kind of activity after getting bullied through the communication technologies. They no longer trust anyone. The gadgets which they were using 24/7 continuously becomes no more interesting for them. Those sources of entertainment and interest have become the source of fear, anger, anxiety and depression. They also started losing their interest in the studies and school activities, resulting in their bad grades in school. They try to miss school because they feel embarrassed in front of their friend and fellows to avoid this embarrassment and anxiety they prefer loneliness.

Communication technologies and online platforms have become a source of cyberbullying. The bullying is more harmful and dangerous than the other bullying as the victim is embarrassed in front of the big audience and continuously.But the situation only worsens only when the victim did not report the account,which is bullying them. When the victim keep quite the bullying one took advantage of their silence and keep bullying them. The victim should be brave enough to report against the one who is bullying them. There are several institutions which are working against cyber crimes and cyberbullying. And the most important thing is that they try to encounter this crime which is done with the misuse of communication technologies through technological. But the first step should be from the victim’s side to raise their voice against cyberbullying. However, it is hard but not impossible. The parents or anyone else to whom the bullied person can trust can play a vital role in saving the bullied person from the effects of bullying by standing by them and giving them the courage to stand against this crime.