The fact that there’s no retaliation or accountability for actions committed online makes people engage in cyberbullying. The act is common among adolescents. After all, no one can trace an anonymous profile. The use of digital devices is on the increase. Many people have access to phones, tablets and computers.
Hence, access to the internet has increased, and anyone can hide under anonymity to perpetrate evil. Cyberbullying can occur through text, SMS, online and social media especially. People send posts and share harmful, false, mean statements about others.
Places where cyberbullying occur includes:
- Social media: examples include Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and many others. Each day that passes by, cybercrimes increases every second as a result of anonymity.
However, most social apps now offer anti-cyberbullying and anti-harassment features. One can turn off comments on a post and restrict shares. You can also report an offensive commenter on behalf of yourself or your loved ones. The tools are not limited to the above mentioned.
Other places include:
- Instant messaging, direct messaging, and online chatting over the internet,
- Online forums, chat rooms, and message boards, such as Reddit, and
- Email.
Causes of Cyberbullying

Some of the causes of cyberbullying are:
- Studies show that adolescent males are more likely to engage in cyberbullying than females. The reason is that aggressive behaviour is more male-driven. Most people also engage in it for “clout chasing”, that is: to seek popularity, likes, retweets, followers and shares.
- Lack of empathy or remorse. Adolescents, when online, adapt to different social norms as opposed to what is attainable in real life.
- Lack of proper monitoring in the case of adolescents.
- Peer pressure: Most people engage in internet bullying because other people do it. If there had been a punishment for bullies, no one would blindly follow others.
Cyberbullying has led to an increased rate of depression and anxiety, suicide attempt, stigmatization, reduced feeling of self-worth, among others.
How to stop cyberbullying
Block and report behaviour related to internet bullying to the social platform. Report contents you find harmful. Finally, social media platforms should censor content, posts that encourage or incite violence.
For more information on cyberbullying, visit Website