There is no doubt that bullying is one of the major challenges that face both students and

persons at the workplace and as technology developed so too has the demonstration of this
behaviour. With the development and initiation of applied science and the emergence of
online social networking communities has created innovative ways to pass along with family,
allies, and colleagues. Unfortunately, for some individuals, this form of social networking has
resulted in significant negative outcomes in the form of being victims of cyber-bullying,
Because of the immediate and enduring nature of digital technology and social media in
particular; bullying also known as cyberbullying is more harmful than traditional bullying.
Bullying is defined as an aggressive, intentional act or behavior that is carried out by a
group or an individual repeatedly and over time against a victim who cannot easily defend
him or herself (Olweus, 1993). There are two types of known bullying Traditional and Cyber
Bullying. Paris and Robert Strom define cyber bullying as harassment using an electronic
medium (E-mail, chat rooms, cell phones, instant messaging, and online voting booths) to
threaten or harm others (Strom & Strom, 2005); Traditional bullying is also defined by
mean or negative actions being repeated and occurring over time. However there are
fundamental differences between the two types of bullying. Cyberbullying unlike traditional
bullying involves anonymity, speed, a wide reach and their victims cannot escape. According
to Cyberbullying statistics from the i-SAFE foundation, Over half of adolescents and teens
have been bullied online, and about the same number have engaged in cyber bullying.
Firstly, it would be stated that Cyber-bullying more harmful that traditional bullying because
cyberbullying is more anonymous (Steffgen and Konig, 2009). The anonymity that bullies are
given with social media gives them the confidence to act and say things they ordinarily would
not. It allows individuals the opportunity to engage in behavior with their peers that they
would not ordinarily engage with offline under the aegis of a user-name (Cross et al. 2009;
Betts 2009; Coyne et al. 2009). Those who are not physically big enough to engage in

physical bullying in school or elsewhere or popular enough to engage in verbal or relational

bullying can now do so online without fear of reprisal (Hobbs, 2009). Anonymity is enhanced
by the ineffective formal and informal mechanisms in place, especially around phone and
email chat (Coyne et al. 2009). As cyber-bullying is more secretive than traditional bullying,
perpetrators are not always aware of the immediate affects their behavior has on the victim.
As a result, cyber-bullies might experience less empathy than those who bully in the
traditional sense (Steffgen and Konig, 2009). These bullies use any kind of device they can to
get the word out computers, phones, tablets, chat rooms, through online gaming and social media
sites.

Secondly, Due to its secretive nature, cyber-bullying can occur at any time and victims, it
could be argued, cannot escape from it. Cross et al. (2009) consider that if young people are
not online they cannot be subjected to cyber-bullying and argue that young people with
limited access to the internet and/or less experience of usage are in fact more vulnerable. For
young people using social media, there is a sense of permanence about the cyber-bullying.
Although nasty texts and emails can be erased, mobile phones for example are generally
carried everywhere by young people thus making it more difficult to escape (Shariff,
2009).
Thirdly, Shariff (2009) proves that young people subjected to verbal abuse at
school can suffer this abuse supported by a number of spectators and
bystanders. When this verbal abuse follows the new soul into cyberspace in the
speedy way it manages, it stays at home. Not only are young people, then
victims of bullying in what should be perceived to be a secure environment
(Mishna et al. 2009), but its speedy arrival in cyberspace means that an infinite
number of supporters can connect in the bullying. Many of these patrons would
not normally occupy in the abuse face-to-face and might not infer the impact it

can deliver on the victim while they hide behind their computer screens (Cross et
al. 2009).