5 Reasons and Motives Why Children Cyberbully

In today’s society where the children spend more time on the internet, cyber-bullying is a prevalent problem that is drastically worsening. Cyberbullying is a growing problem that impacts kids nationwide every day.

Cyber-bullying occurs when a person (often a child, preteen, or teenager) is bullied, harassed, humiliated, threatened, embarrassed, or targeted in some way by another person (often a child, preteen or teenager). Cyber-bullying is much like traditional playground bullying where there is name calling and someone is getting picked on, except cyber-bullying is done through the use of the internet, cell phones and other forms of digital technology.

And as parents and educators, if we want to put an end to cyber-bullying, we have to first understand why kids are doing it. Here are a few reasons why children cyber-bully:

Revenge

Bullying victims find a way to retaliate through cyber-bullying. They feel justified in their actions because they, too, have been harassed and tormented. By cyberbullying others, they may feel a sense of relief and vindication for what they experienced. They often target other children whom they perceive as someone who is weaker or more vulnerable than they are.

Entertainment purposes

Kids who are bored and looking for entertainment will sometimes resort to cyberbullying to spice things up or to add some excitement and drama to their lives. They also might choose to cyberbully because they lack attention and supervision from parents. As a result, the Internet becomes their only source of entertainment and an outlet for getting attention.

To bolster or remind people of their own social standing

It is sad to know that one of the reasons why some people cyberbully is this. Some believe that the person they are bullying ‘deserves’ to be treated that way.

Bullying often revolves around a person’s social status at school. And some kids will choose to cyberbully others based on the school’s perceived social ladder.

NOBODY deserves to be bullied.

To boost their Ego

Cyberbullying can be a manifestation of social status. Kids who are popular often make fun of kids who are less popular. They use the internet to “extend” their “authority”. Meanwhile, kids who are trying to climb the social ladder at school or gain some social power will resort to cyberbullying to get attention. They also might cyberbully to diminish the social status of another person.

To get approval from peers

Sometimes kids will cyberbully to fit in with a group of friends. As a result, these kids succumb to peer pressure in order to be accepted by a group at school, even if it means going against their better judgment. They are more concerned with fitting in than they are worried about the consequences of cyber-bullying.

Source: Viral4Real/ NoBullying/Google