Cyberbullying Overview

Here are some statistics which illustrate the scale of the problem: roughly a third (32%) of young Canadians report having been targets of cyberbullying.[2] However, the risk is not equal for all students. Many of the things that make youth targets of offline bullying – in particular, having one or more disabilities or 2SLGBTQ+ status[3] as well as having a larger body[4]– increase the odds of being a target of cyberbullying. In fact, youth may become targets because of markers of difference as arbitrary as not having custom character “skins” in online games like Fortnite.[5]

The term “cyberbullying” can be a bit of a misnomer. Unlike the traditional definition of bullying, which involves a difference in power or strength between the perpetrator and the target, a lot of the activities that adults would label as cyberbullying happen between people of roughly the same status. It’s also sometimes difficult to distinguish clearly between the target and perpetrator in a cyberbullying scenario. Finally, much of the abusive behaviour that takes place within offline relationships may also take place in online spaces or be abetted by digital technology.[6]

There is little doubt that cyberbullying can be traumatic. Being a target is associated with “a greater risk of poor general mental health, depression or anxiety, eating disorder symptoms, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempt,”[7] as well as psychosomatic effects such as headaches, sleep problems and abdominal pain[8] and increased substance abuse and worsened school performance.[9] It also makes youth more vulnerable to being radicalized by hate groups or movements.[10] It’s important to highlight, though, that in a study on the connections between bullying and suicide, it was a factor in just six percent of suicide deaths among youth – and cyberbullying was not identified as a factor in any of them,[11] while a 50-year cohort study found that “individuals who have been frequently bullied have a small increased risk of dying by suicide, when no other risk factors are considered.”[12]

It is not only the targets of cyberbullying who experience these effects, but those who witness it – and those who perpetrate it – as well.[13] Unfortunately, youth typically underestimate how harmful online bullying can be. In particular, they’re likely to “not consider boys’ bullying behaviors to be bullying because they aligned with masculine gender norms.”[14] This may be because youth typically see a conscious intent to harm someone as being an essential element of cyberbullying,[15] which is found in the relational bullying stereotypically associated with girls[16] but not the “just joking” form more common among boys.[17]  

One reason cyberbullying may be more harmful than offline bullying is the potential presence of countless, invisible witnesses and/or collaborators to the cyberbullying, which creates a situation where targets are left unsure of who knows and whom to fear. Technology also extends the reach these young people have, enabling them to harass their targets anywhere and at any time. While these situations should be reported, it can be difficult for young people to step forward: how do you report an attack that leaves no physical scars and is committed by a nameless attacker? Will the consequences of telling an adult that you are being cyberbullied be worse than the bullying itself? Adults want to help, but many feel ill-equipped to handle bullying in a digital world.

[1] Erreygers, S., Vandebosch, H., Vranjes, I., Baillien, E., & De Witte, H. (2017). Nice or naughty? The role of emotions and digital media use in explaining adolescents’ online prosocial and antisocial behavior. Media psychology, 20(3), 374-400.

[2] MediaSmarts. (2023). “Young Canadians in a Wireless World, Phase IV: Relationships and Technology - Online Meanness and Cruelty.” MediaSmarts. Ottawa.

[3] MediaSmarts. (2023). “Young Canadians in a Wireless World, Phase IV: Relationships and Technology - Online Meanness and Cruelty.” MediaSmarts. Ottawa.

[4] Thompson, I., Hong, J. S., Lee, J. M., Prys, N. A., Morgan, J. T., & Udo-Inyang, I. (2020). A review of the empirical research on weight-based bullying and peer victimisation published between 2006 and 2016. Educational Review, 72(1), 88-110.

[5] Hernandez, P. (2019) Fortnite is free but kids are getting bullied into spending money. Polygon. https://www.polygon.com/2019/5/7/18534431/fortnite-rare-default-skins-bullying-harassment.

[6] Hasse, A., Cortesi, S., Lombana-Bermudez, A., & Gasser, U. (2019). Youth and cyberbullying: Another look. Berkman Klein Center Research Publication, (2019-4).

[7] Kingsbury, M., & Arim, R. (2023). Cybervictimization and mental health among Canadian youth. Health reports, 34(9), 3-13.

[8] Popovac, M., Fine, P. A., & Hicken, S. A. (2024). Children and adolescents’ experiences of cyberaggression and cyberbullying on social media and priorities for intervention and prevention efforts. In Handbook of Social Media Use Online Relationships, Security, Privacy, and Society Volume 2 (pp. 3-36). Academic Press.

[9] Sam, J. A. (2020). A mixed-method study exploring the relationship among resiliency, cyberbullying, and cyber-victimization with youth mental health and academic achievement (Doctoral dissertation, University of British Columbia).

[10] Miklikowska, M., Jasko, K., & Kudrnac, A. (2023). The making of a radical: The role of peer harassment in youth political radicalism. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 49(3), 477-492.

[11] Sinyor, M., Schaffer, A., & Cheung, A. H. (2014). An observational study of bullying as a contributing factor in youth suicide in Toronto. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 59(12), 632-638.

[12] Geoffroy, M. C., Arseneault, L., Girard, A., Ouellet-Morin, I., & Power, C. (2023). Association of childhood bullying victimisation with suicide deaths: findings from a 50-year nationwide cohort study. Psychological medicine, 53(9), 4152-4159.

[13] Popovac, M., Fine, P. A., & Hicken, S. A. (2024). Children and adolescents’ experiences of cyberaggression and cyberbullying on social media and priorities for intervention and prevention efforts. In Handbook of Social Media Use Online Relationships, Security, Privacy, and Society Volume 2 (pp. 3-36). Academic Press.

[14] Mishna, F., Schwan, K. J., Birze, A., Van Wert, M., Lacombe-Duncan, A., McInroy, L., & Attar-Schwartz, S. (2020). Gendered and sexualized bullying and cyber bullying: Spotlighting girls and making boys invisible. Youth & society, 52(3), 403-426.

[15] Alipan, A., Skues, J. L., Theiler, S., & Wise, L. (2020). Defining cyberbullying: a multifaceted definition based on the perspectives of emerging adults. International journal of bullying prevention, 2, 79-92.

[16] Mishna, F., Schwan, K. J., Birze, A., Van Wert, M., Lacombe-Duncan, A., McInroy, L., & Attar-Schwartz, S. (2020). Gendered and sexualized bullying and cyber bullying: Spotlighting girls and making boys invisible. Youth & society, 52(3), 403-426.

[17] MediaSmarts. (2023). “Young Canadians in a Wireless World, Phase IV: Relationships and Technology - Online Meanness and Cruelty.” MediaSmarts. Ottawa.