Bullying is something that has been around for many years within the education system. Bullying among K-12 students in the United States has been an ongoing, widespread, and present issue. Bullying ranges from as low as kindergarten school to high school. As technology has advanced and new platforms of social media have been created, a new form of bullying is becoming more prevalent.

This form of bullying is called cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is defined as an individual or a group willfully using information and communication involving electronic technologies to facilitate deliberate and repeated harassment or threat to another individual or group by sending or posting cruel text or graphics using technology (BertoloneSmith, 2021).

 

This rapidly growing and destructive phenomenon among today’s k-12 students, cyberbullying, is a malicious use of the easy and widespread accessibility of electronic devices and the internet. Traditional bullying usually involves and is known to only affect a few people, while on the other hand, cyberbullying allows perpetrators to spread wrong information to a large group of people in a short time, particularly through social media. Cyberbullying has negative results on students at school, even if it happens outside of school hours. With the vast improvement and technology integration, especially social media, in the education system, educating students on responsible technology usage is of grave importance (Leviner, 2018).

 

The COVID-19 pandemic radically changed the context for cyberbullying dynamics. As schools were forced to close and move to remote learning across the United States in March 2020, there was a sudden decrease in in-person interaction and a drastic increase in the use of digital technology. With this shift came the public concern about the consequences of children’s increased usage and reliance on technology, including higher risk of exposure to cyberbullying. Research conducted before COVID-19 indicated that the high percentage of internet use was associated with increased students’ reports of cyberbullying and cyber-victimization. As a result, media outlets expressed expectations that while in-person bullying might decline, cyberbullying would likely increase (Bacher-Hicks, 2022).

 

Cyberbullying is done through the use of technology and is getting worse with the increase in social media in which interactions occur. Most forms of cyberbullying are done through social media. Some examples are Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter, among others. Due to the increase in technology, students of all ages are being exposed to online activities. Oftentimes, children k-12, have free and unsupervised access to technology and as such cyberbullying is occurring among children as young as kindergarten. With cyberbullying, age is not taken into consideration since everything is being done by way of a screen. People of all natures create anonymous accounts to bully other people. In many cases, the victim has an idea who it may be, while in other cases they will never know. Cyberbullying can occur at any time and any place. However, recent studies have revealed that children k-12 have been victims, and the school should be responsible for acting when they begin to notice any signs of cyberbullying (Bertolone-Smith, 2021).

 

As the Internet has transformed schoolwork and personal communication, traditional forms of bullying in schools have evolved into cyberbullying. Today, cyberbullying has become common among k-12 students. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, 15.5% of high school students are cyberbullied. Out of these students, 23% have notified an adult in the school regarding the incident. Also, students who are cyberbullied are at risk of performing poorly in school since they find it hard to adjust. These students also experience sleep difficulties, and anxiety, and become depressed. The victims of cyberbullying can also experience low self-esteem and low self-confidence (Wilbon, 2020).

 

Cyberbullying has a tremendous impact on students’ well-being. Not only does cyberbullying affect k-12 students, but it can also have an impact on those who witnessed it as well. Students sometimes become unmotivated and withdrawn in school. The effects of cyberbullying are predominantly negative and can also be life-long. It can cause students to feel depressed which can result in mental and psychological well-being. Many researchers have conducted studies to show that cyberbullying in k-12 is something that should be acknowledged and taken seriously (Siddiqui, 2023).

 

The most frequent and common media within which cyberbullying can occur include electronic mail – a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients; instant messaging – a type of online chat that offers real-time text transmission between two parties; chat rooms- a real-time online interaction with strangers with a shared interest or other similar connection; text messaging (SMS) – the act of composing and sending brief electronic messages between two or more mobile phones; social networking sites – a platform to build social networks or social relations among people who share interests, activities, backgrounds or real-life connections (Peled, 2019).

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Cyberbullying can take place in different forms. Some of these forms are flaming, online harassment, cyberstalking, denigration, masquerading, trickery and outing, and exclusion. Flaming involves sending angry, rude, or vulgar messages via text or email about a person either privately or to an online group. Harassment involves repeatedly sending offensive messages, and cyberstalking moves harassment online. Denigration occurs when the cyberbully sends untrue or hurtful messages about a person to others. Masquerading takes elements of harassment and denigration where the cyberbully pretends to be someone else and sends or posts threatening or harmful information about one person to other people. Trickery and outing occur when the cyberbully tricks an individual into providing embarrassing, private, or sensitive information and posts or sends the information for others to view. Exclusion is deliberately leaving individuals out of an online group, thereby automatically stigmatizing the excluded individuals (Peled, 2019).

Additional types of cyberbullying are fraping- where a person accesses the victim’s social media account and impersonates them to be funny or to ruin their reputation. Dissing – sharing or posting cruel information online to ruin one’s reputation or friendships with others. Trolling – is insulting an individual online to provoke them enough to get a response. Catfishing – stealing one’s online identity to recreate social networking profiles for deceptive purposes. Phishing – a tactic that requires tricking, persuading, or manipulating the target into revealing personal and/or financial information about themselves and/or their loved ones. Stalking – online stalking is when a person shares her personal information publicly through social networking websites. Blackmail-anonymous e-mails, phone calls, and private messages are often sent to a person who bears secrets (Peled, 2019).

 

 

Certain qualities of an individual can predispose students to being cyberbullied. Research conducted among k-12 students revealed that certain characteristics predicted cyberbullying victimization. The qualities of loneliness, empathy, and self-esteem were predictive of varying levels of cyberbullying. Self-esteem contributed not only to cyberbullying victimization but also to perpetration. Empathy was not individually linked to cyberbullying victimization, but in combination with self-esteem and loneliness, was predictive of victimization. Suicidal ideation was also found to be strongly linked to cyberbullying. The research also revealed that victims of cyberbullying were more likely to suffer increased levels of stress. It was also indicated that where one form of cyberbullying was occurring, other forms would be occurring as well (Wilbon, 2020).

 

 

According to one school of thought, in the early 2000s, the term “cyberbullying” did not exist. Still, since almost all students from k-12 use the internet and social media, the need to use technology responsibly is an issue to be taken seriously. Lawmakers in almost every state have now taken actions to reduce and prevent cyberbullying, but not necessarily in an effective way. According to the U.S. Department of Education, between 1990 and 2010, more than 120 bills were introduced to address cyberbullying. Under the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights, the federal government requires local and state entities to provide safe school environments for students. However, while all fifty states have enacted legislation on cyberbullying, there is a lack of agreement and appropriateness on what constitutes cyberbullying and what the extent and limits of school district authority may be. For example, some states limit school jurisdiction to acts of cyberbullying that are done during school hours and on school premises, while other states extend it to include incidents outside of school if there is proof that the victim’s school environment is affected. Due to this inconsistency, school administrators and leaders do not always have the authority to address cyberbullying. Importantly, schools need to implement measures to prevent and educate students on how to use social media responsibly when interacting with others, and on the negative impact of using social media to harass, intimidate, or make fun of others (Leviner, 2018).

 

Another development that was brought about by research is that several isolated components of anti cyberbullying programs have demonstrated the ability to reduce rates of bullying and victimization by twenty percent. Research has shown that some program components and protective factors seem to be most effective in reducing cyberbullying victimization. Parental engagement and parenting strategies have consistently demonstrated an important role in the reduction of cyberbullying and victimization. For example, a review of parental roles and cyberbullying among k-12 found strategies for controlling internet and technology use were more effective than placing restrictions on them. When children are involved in making rules about Internet and technology use, rates of cyberbullying and cybervictimization tend to decrease. In contrast, parents who are more controlling and restrictive about the Internet and Technology use lead to minimal reductions in cyberbullying and cybervictimization (Hendry et al., 2023)

 

 

To reduce cyberbullying other intervention strategies have been investigated. One of such is project-based learning strategies for raising awareness of cyberbullying, have shown positive outcomes, such as increased vocabulary, knowledge, and awareness of the consequences of online behaviors. In addition, anti-cyberbullying messaging and practices that help persuade children to safely use the internet and seek social support for cyberbullying issues have shown reductions in cyberbullying rates (Hendry et al., 2023).

 

Additionally, school psychologists and school counselors can act as agents of social justice in schools to prevent cyberbullying, particularly among the most vulnerable student populations. Cyberbullying has shown an alarming increase in k-12 schools within the last decade, and has such adverse social, physical, and emotional impacts for victims, perpetrators, and bystanders. Therefore, it is of paramount importance that school psychologists and counselors advocate for prevention, intervention, and more effective policies for students and the school community well-being and safety (Elbedour et al., 2020).

 

As a middle school teacher, I happened to come across students who have been victims of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying in middle level schools is a serious problem with the anonymity of online platforms which often enables harmful behavior. I believe that this may be addressed with a combination of education, strict policies, and fostering a culture of empathy to ensure that our students have a safer online space. One of the main things that I have observed with cyberbullying is how using the digital platform has become a breeding ground for harassing and threatening others. Unlike traditional bullying, cyberbullying goes way beyond the physical boundaries of the school yard, gaining access to the private spaces of victims, students, through social media, messaging apps, and other online forums which are used for educational purposes. Because the perpetrators know how to disguise themselves it is usually challenging for us, teachers, and administrators to identify and address the root causes.

 

 

It is my belief that schools need to play a more active role in combating cyberbullying by having a proactive approach. There needs to be education programs that raise awareness about the consequences of cyberbullying and promote responsible digital citizens. Also, students must be equipped with the tools to recognize and report cyberbullying incidents. Clear guidelines pertaining to acceptable online behavior, consequences for violations, and reporting of incidents should be established. I also think that collaboration between schools, parents, and online platforms is important to create unity against cyberbullying, ensuring that consequences extend beyond the school environment. By encouraging positive relationships and emphasizing the value of diversity, schools can create an environment where students in k-12 are less likely to engage in cyberbullying. There could also be peer support initiatives and mentorship programs which can further strengthen and encourage a sense of responsibility and well-being. Cyberbullying in schools is a complex issue that demands a multifaceted response. By acknowledging the severity of the issue and implementing proactive measures, schools can contribute to shaping a generation that values respect and responsible digital citizens.