Cyberbullying: what are the consequences?
Cyberbullying is serious! It causes a lot of harm for the young victims and it’s also risky for the young bullies. It is always unacceptable and some actions are even punishable by law.
To remember
👉 Even if bullying happens online, the repercussions occur in real life.
👉 Young people who bully online can be severely punished by law.
👉 Bullying is not a game.
Consequences for the victims
Since cyberbullying happens on the Internet, the young people who are victims can’t get away from it.
It follows them everywhere: school, home, and when they’re relaxing.
The bullying actions can be seen by lots of people.
The young bullies may be more aggressive, because they can’t see the effects of their actions. They don’t know how much they’re hurting their victims.
For young victims of cyberbullying, the consequences can be very serious.
They may lose their friends and their reputation and feel isolated.
They may feel bad at school and get lower grades.
They may lose their self-esteem, become anxious, feel vulnerable, and even have suicidal thoughts.
💡Read our article: The very real consequences of the virtual world.
Consequences for the bullies
A kid who cyberbullies someone also faces serious consequences:
He/she risks facing very real reactions in real life. The victim may decide to react, face the bully in person, get revenge, or report the bully to the school or the police.
His/her ISP may decide to cut off his/her access for violating the company’s service conditions.
Some cyberbullying acts are illegal, and a young person who is found guilty may be severely punished by law:
He/she may be arrested by the police and have to go to court.
He/she may have to do community service or even, in serious cases, spend time in a young offender institution.
He/she may have to pay money to the victim of the cyberbullying. The police will open a file in his/her name, and his/her actions may leave traces for a long time.
What should I do if I’ve bullied someone?
Recognizing it is already something! But to make sure it doesn’t happen again, look for the reasons and situations that lead you to bully someone. In addition, think about the consequences for your life, the impact of your bullying on your relationships and on the victim. Sometimes, people do things to attract their friends’ attention or to have fun… but bullying isn’t a game!
Make an effort to find activities that will make you feel good without hurting anyone else. And if you’ve hurt someone, show humility and apologize sincerely to the person or people you bullied.
