Cyberbullying, also known as 'e-bullying', refers to the use of digital technologies to bully, harass, or intimidate an individual. Cyberbullying typically occurs via social media, gaming platforms, streaming platforms, messaging platforms, and websites. It can be in the form of fake profiles, negative comments intended to cause distress, sharing personal information without permission, stalking, harassment, and trolling.
Cyberbullying often happens alongside in-person bullying, with research indicating that approximately 80% of those who experience online bullying have also been bullied face-to-face.
Cyberbullying can differ from face-to-face bullying in the following ways:
-It can be anonymous as bullies can attempt to hide their identities
-The impact can spread quickly and widely, as it is easier to spread hateful information online than in person
-It can feel isolating, as bullies can separate themselves from witnessing the impact on their victims
-It can be evidenced through screenshots, recordings, and message histories
The University recognises the negative impact that bullying (online or otherwise) can have on a person’s mental health, educational experience, career progression and work environment and deems this behaviour as unacceptable in our community. Our Discrimination, Bullying and Harassment Policy can be found here.
Further information about online bullying and its impact can be found on the Anti-Bullying Alliance’s website.
Speak to someone:
The National Bullying Helpline is also available to everyone, including staff and students, from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday (UK time). The contact details are as follows:
Helpline: 0300 323 0169
Telephone: 0845 225 5787
TikTok provides a Safety Centre which defines online bullying and details how to make a report to their moderation team if you have been victimised via the platform or have witnessed bullying.